Mining companies generally didn't provide accommodation for miners and their families. However, the landowners, in this case the Marquis of Bath and the Earl of Tankerville, encouraged 'squatting' on their land, as they could then, without the expense of building, secure rent from their workers.
Traditionally, if a stone chimney could be built between sunrise and sunset and be in use before nightfall, then the cottage could be completed. Most were sited in small enclosures, by springs that rose above the level of the mine workings. These, at Blakemoorgate (originally Bleakmoorgate) have been rebuilt by English Nature.
Nearby Lordshill Baptist Chapel was built in the 1870s. The Marquis would not allow a non-conformist chapel on his land, so this was built just over the 'border', on the Earl's. The adjoining house was occupied until recently by a lady in her 90s, unharmed by lack of all the services nowadays taken for granted.
I think this is the chapel and cottage was the home of my grandmother in the late 19th early 20th century. I have been looking for ages for this p[lace I have a photo and on the bottom in the left hand corner it says Lords hill Baptist Chapel. My Great Grandfather was a baptist Minister there his name was William Lewis Jones. Our family always thought it was in Builth but that was where my grandmother was born they moved after her mother died and her father remarried. She ran away from home and came to England where she met my Grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThank you in advance Dr PhD Megan Clay
ps I can send a copy of the photo if you are interested and my other email is omegaclayuk@yahoo.co.uk which I use more frequently