Publications
Preliminary survey of the Iron Industry of the Western Weald, by P. J. Ovenden, published Spring 1969 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No 1, article, pp.10-11) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/506558] Download PDF
Verdley Wood Furnace, by P. J. Ovenden, published Spring 1971 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No 2, article, pp.8-9) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/506558] Download PDF
Abstract:The site of this furnace, not mentioned by Straker but known to Kenyon is in the NE corner of Verdley Wood (NGR 906 264) at the mouth of a steep-sided, wooded valley.
Iron ore workings near Horsham, Sussex, by P. J. Ovenden and B. C. Worssam, published 1972 in The Proceedings of the Geologists' Association London (no. 83 issue 2, article, pp.237-238) View Online
Chemistry and the Wealden Iron Industry, by P. J. Ovenden, published Summer 1972 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No 4, article, pp.3-10) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506558] Download PDF
Abstract:The future development of industrial archaeology, particularly in the study of bygone technology, may well depend on the systematic application of chemistry, metallurgy, and mineralogy. Since smelting is a chemical process that may be of archaeological interest, the systematic application of chemistry to the Wealden iron industry cannot be avoided for much longer. What is required is not the odd analysis to round off a paper on a hitherto unknown site, but a standard scheme to be applied without exception, whereby a comprehensive body of data may be steadily built up with a view to resolving the more general archaeological problems. It is the purpose of this article to discuss the nature of these problems, and to indicate the type of chemical information and some of the difficulties in the way.
Combeswell Bloomery - A magnetometer survey, by Peter Ovenden, published 1973 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No 5, article, pp.4-7) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506558] Download PDF
Abstract:The site (SU 9015 3535) of this bloomery is a derelict field at the bottom of a small, steep-sided valley under the sandstone escarpment north of Haslemere. No surface features are to be seen except a scattering of tap-slag (Straker, type B) in a nearby ditch. Since this is not an uncommon situation with early bloomery sites it would not be inappropriate to describe, in some detail, the manner and results of a survey, made earlier this year, with a proton magnetometer kindly loaned by the Oceanography Department of Southampton University.