Cave doors

This is on one of the main roads into or out of Appleby. It is a busy road, but I wonder how many people notice this as they are passing. The doors cover the entrance to a natural cave in the impressive outcrop of Penrith sandstone. Apparently the cave was enlarged manually and the entrance has obviously been built up to make a doorway.

This once belonged to the town Blacksmith and many years ago horses for ‘shoeing’ would be waiting outside in the road. Whether the blacksmith actually worked from here or not is disputed. Some sources say he used this for storing coke and tools and he had his workshop across the road. The extra picture shows the road and a building just across from the doors, which could easily have been the workshop.
 
What is in the cave now, I have no idea, but obviously whoever owns it wants no one peering in as it is securely bolted.

Windy today and bitterly cold. I wonder whether we will have snow tomorrow.