Asking questions!

My daily bike ride takes me to some interesting villages and there are some really fascinating buildings which just ooze character and history. This can also whet the apatite for modelling projects when you see the architectural details although with my modelling skills any model of an old building would probably end up looking like a porta-cabin!

This row of houses just cries out to be modelled.

I don't know the history of these but a bit further up the road is this building.

I have known this building for many years and it has always been an engineering works - the true old style works where you could get anything made in metal. 

It looked somewhat derelict this time though. However as I was taking these pictures the owner stepped out and was no doubt surprised to be questioned by a sweaty looking cyclist about the building. However sometimes you have to ask questions to find out things and I learnt a lot about this building. It was constructed in the 1800s as a building for lace outworkers. Situated about 20 miles from Nottingham, which was the lace center of the World at the time, lace was shipped to the village by canal to be hand sewn by outworkers. The canal had a wharf about a mile from the village so no doubt horse and cart brought the products to and from the building. Maybe the wagon from a few blogs ago did this?The building has massive windows as there was no artificial light in those days and candles would not have been a safe option with al that flammable lace. As the lace industry contracted the building was taken over by a local iron stone quarrying company in the early 1900s for maintenance of equipment. Then in the mid 1900s the father of the gent I was talking to bought the building for £600 and opened the engineering works which then was taken over by the son. With no family interest in continuing the business the son has now retired earlier this year and the building will be sold. It would make a superb museum but will no doubt be converted to residential use which at least will see the exterior of the building conserved. However the various additions to the building that have been added over the years will no doubt go so some history will disappear but at least I now know. Never be afraid to ask!