Chaff-cutter in basement; Photo by Greta Clarkson on mobile phone.
Interesting that we were only talking about chaff cutter wheels yesterday and another one comes to light. I know that the same blacksmiths could have been making the wheels for the actual chaff-cutters (the farm implement) as were creating the metalwork for barges but this one is in an old Post Office. A friend has recently bought a lovely ‘period’ house in Boughton High Street near Faversham in Kent which runs to three floors including some bedrooms in the expected higgledy-piggledy roof, but also some superb catacomb-like vaulted-ceiling basement rooms. The place was formerly an old Post Office and there is what looks like a mail-bag chute down from pavement level into the front of this basement. Alongside this chute is the curious contraption pictured permanently mounted to the wall as if it must have been part of the post office equipment. We have no idea what it is, so if anyone knows, please let us in on the secret. Meanwhile, the friend, who is a sailing nut and barge fan (she’s been on Cambria and Greta) and very amused that we say she named her daughter after SB Greta (Greta took this picture) is calling it her chaff cutter.
