Saturday afternoon, 9 July (continued):
Svartå (the name means Black River) is a village that arose around an iron works founded back in the 17th century. Very little remains of the old mill itself now. Most of it was torn down back in the 1970s; but since a more recent fire, there is even less left to be seen.
However, there are some well-preserved old dwelling houses along the main road, and we went for a walk to have a look at those.
This building, where workers at the mill used to live, was called The Castle, because it was the largest house in the village, situated on top of a hill. This was typically where the home of the manager of a mill would be built in a place like this; but in Svartå it was the workers' families who lived up on the hill. The house was built in the mid 1800s and had eleven small flats consisting of either 1 room+kitchen, or just a single room.
In the 1970s the house stood empty and in serious disrepair; but in 1981 it was taken over by the local history society, whose members put in a lot of voluntary work to restore it to be used as a local community center.
Down below, outdoors, an old stångjärnshammare* (trip hammer) is on display.
(*The Swedish Wikipedia article includes a couple of video clips that may give you an idea of how it worked, even if you can't read the text.)
15 comments:
Very much like Germans imagine Sweden, with those red and white houses! A picturesque place now, but I imagine there was nothing picturesque about living in The Castle in a single room flat…
I wish I had seen the stump chair before they took down our tree, they could have done that and made our stump a chair. love it. that red building is beautiful, makes me happy they restored it and use it and people can enjoy it.
Beautiful and well maintained old buildings (if the red and white paint is any clue!
Great blog
The houses look so pristine and well-cared for. The one by the river is in such an idyllic spot.
Interesting stuff. And the house even looks newly built and painted!
I always admire historical societies who work so hard to restore and maintain our past. The houses by the river look very appealing.
Meike, yes, the red wooden houses are typically Swedish, and not least in the "middle" part of Sweden.
Sandra, it makes me happy too when I see old buildings well preserved and cared for!
Barbara, I had no opportunity to see the inside, but I imagine that those living in and using those buildings probably take some pride in doing a good job there as well :)
CG, I can only agree!
Ginny, yes, they've obviously done a good job.
Pauline, I agree. My parents were involved in one such society in the village where they lived in their retirement years (which was also where my dad was born and grew up).
I had a look at the working of the trip hammer. Amazing in its simplicity and POWER! I'd hate to get caught in that!
Graham, I had problems grasping how it worked while looking at the one on display at Svartå but seeing those videos afterwards did help :)
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