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Summary

Description

Dating from the earlier 19th century Henderson's Knowe consists of a single-storey former smithy and two, flanking single-storey and attic cottages, each with a gablet dormerhead. The overall height of the building was raised in around 1870. The building is constructed in whinstone rubble with contrasting yellow sandstone, long and short dressings. There are bipartite windows at the ground floor with stone mullions. It is located alongside the A7 between Hawick and Langholm.

The northeast cottage is three bays wide and may have originally been stabling and a loft. There is a later extension at the rear. The former smithy has an enlarged entrance opening with a replacement door and a bipartite lattice-glazed window. To the right of the window is a small brass plaque, dating from 2003, commemorating Tom Jenkins teaching at the smithy between 1814 and 1818. The southwest cottage is four asymmetrical bays wide and has tooled quoins. The window opening in the gablehead has been enlarged.

The interior of the former smithy is currently in use as a retail space. The large raised traditional smithy hearth, curved alcoves in the outer wall (originally housing bellows), and two presses are retained. There is a bench below the front window, closely studded with nail-heads. The smithy has a replacement timber floor.

The windows are a mixture of traditional-style timber in sash and case frames, and uPVC, in various glazing patterns, some of which were made bipartite in around 1950. Later windows have been added in the gable-ends. The roof is slated, has five rooflights of various dates and three ridge chimneystacks. The gable ends have plain bargeboards and carved, projecting purlin ends.

There is a cobbled area in front of the building with a large mill-stone converted to a wheel jig and a stone anvil base set into the cobbles.

Statement of Special Interest

Tom Jenkins (around 1797-1859), possibly Britain's first black school teacher, taught at the former smithy in Teviothead between 1814 and 1818.

Tom Jenkins, born on the Upper Guinea coast in West Africa, arrived in Hawick with Captain James Swanson in 1803 at the age of around six. Swanson died soon afterwards and Tom was looked after by Swanson's relatives in nearby Teviothead. Little is known of his early years however it is believed Tom worked as a cowherd and peat driver, and attended Teviothead school.

When Tom was 17, he had an interview for a teaching job at Teviothead school. He did not get the position, however local supporters of Jenkins, including the Duke of Buccleuch, set up a school at the smithy and employed him to teach.

Tom Jenkins later attended classes at the University of Edinburgh and in June 1818 enrolled onto the teacher training course at Borough Road College in Southwark, London. In 1821 Tom travelled to Mauritius where he became schoolmaster at the first Free School on the island which was set up by the British government.

Listed building record revised in 2019.

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