Local History
The Anvil Trust - Mawnan Smith
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In 1851 there were four working smithies serving nineteen farms in the Parish
of Mawnan. Fifty years later only one remained.
For over a hundred years the smithy, operated by blacksmith Billy James and his son
Dryden, was the centre of village life. Upon Dryden's death in 1994, the smithy doors
were closed and the building and its contents were put into total hibernation by his wife,
Doreen, who continued to live at the adjoining cottage, "Chy-an-Scol. After
her death the inheritor of the cottage and smithy, in consultation with the Parish,
created a project which would bring about the restoration of the premises to its
former glory and make the anvil ring once more, hence the formation of the Mawnan
Anvil Trust. As one of the few remaining who knew both Dryden and his father, I was asked to become the President of the Trust, which I readily accepted.
On the 14th of November 2007, I had the honour of unveiling the plaque to mark the
official re-opening of Mawnan’s smithy. Not only is the smithy working again but there are three other workshops on site with craftsmen and women to be seen working at their various trades. Visitors are welcome to observe the craftsmen and women at work and not only can these hand-made items be purchased, but commissions are welcome.
Truly 100% made in Cornwall!
Dryden’s work lives on in so many places around the parish of Mawnan. In the days my
father was converting a farm house into Budock Vean hotel he had huge chandeliers made by Billy James out of cart wheel tyres. Dryden did the same when we converted Nansidwell into an hotel and he also made the pillar lights in the restaurant at Meudon. Most if not all of the churches in the area have evidence of the smithy’s art. The original settlement was at Mawnan, a mile away from Mawnan Smith. When the Smithy moved the villagers soon followed. One of our guests’ offered an explanation for the village name of Mawnan Smith.
"A passer by doffed his hat and said ‘mornin smith’!
Harry Pilgrim
President of the Mawnan Anvil Trust
Chairman of Meudon Hotel