2011
SJ3701 : The Cook's cottage, Blakemoorgate
taken 13 years ago, near to Snailbeach, Shropshire, England
The Cook's cottage, Blakemoorgate
Recently rebuilt miners cottage, last inhabited in 1955 according to the Census by Robert and Fanny Cook. This cottage and neighbouring cottages started life as squatters cottages in the early 1800's, whereby a local man could claim a patch of land if he could build a basic shelter overnight and achieve a smoking chimney by morning. He was most likely a young miner working at Snailbeach lead mine and either about to marry or expand his family and therefore looking to start on his own, rather than board, live with family or friends. The basic shelter with a simple chimney, roof and walls would soon develop into a small one-up, one-down cottage or similar, like this.
Land could be claimed as far as 'an axe-throw' from the property corners and a smallholding, market garden or farmstead established to supplement the miner's wages. Here he would raise his family and hope to live well enough by the standards of the time.
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