Bibliography - W.I.R.G.: 2nd Series Bulletin No. 3, 1983
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Wealden Iron Research Group: Second Series Bulletin No. 3, 1983, edited by D. W. Crossley, published 1983 (Wealden Iron Research Group) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Field Notes, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, report, pp.2-5) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Sheffield Forge - New Developments, by C. F. and M. Tebbutt, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, p.5) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Sheffield Forge (TQ 404238) seems to have been established as a unit with Sheffield Furnace (TQ 416257) by 1554 (E. Straker, Wealden Iron (1931), 412-14), but by 1598 (E. Straker (ed.), The Buckhurst Terrier. 1597-8 Sussex Rec. Soc. 39 (1933), 72-3), when the furnace had been converted to a corn mill, the forge remained in working order. It was still in use in 1653 but not in 1664. Included with it were 30 acres in adjoining Coleham.
The water system at the forge was an unusual one, although not unique, being paralleled at Kitchenham Forge (TQ 679135). Water from the Ouse was led into an embanked pond artificially constructed in the flood plain of the river, and returned to the main stream by a mile-long channel whose name, the Hammer Ditch, still survives.

Inventory of the Ironworks at Hamsell in 1708, by Anne Dalton, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.8-11) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

The inventory reproduced here was taken when Robert Baker, the owner of Hamsell Furnace and Birchden Forge, was declared bankrupt in 1708. It is mentioned by Straker but many members may not have read Miss Bell-Irving's Mayfield, Straker's source, and seen a list of the equipment and manufactured goods to be found in a furnace and forge in the early eighteenth century.

The Recovered Courthope Manuscripts: Transcriptions, by R. G. Houghton, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.12-17) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

A number of documents, many relating to Wealden ironworks of the 17th century, have recently been rediscovered, having been missing for some thirty years. The period covered by the documents is that of the Second and Third Dutch Wars, from around 1664 to the mid 1670s. Among them are letters, memoranda and documents relating to gun casting at Horsmonden, Hawkhurst, Ashburnham, Barden and Imbham, including copies of contracts. The letters were written by King Charles II's gunfounder, George Browne, to his business associate Alexander Courthope. There is also a family connection, since Alexander Courthope married the widow of George Browne's brother John.
The following two letters were written against a background of rising indignation in England against the Dutch over trading disputes in the East Indies, North America and West Africa. Already in 1664, there was virtually a state of war between the two countries in these areas. Early in the year, the Dutch had been expelled from several important trading centres on the West African coast, only for them to be recaptured in the autumn. In August, New Amsterdam (shortly to be renamed New York) was taken from the Dutch by an expedition under Captain Nicholls.

Richard Maynard - Yeoman and Ironmaster, by Michael J. Burchall, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.18-24) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Richard Maynard of Copyhold Farm at Hamsell in Rotherfield was the eldest son of John Maynard (d.1592) of Mead Farm in the same parish. He was a substantial yeoman farmer with interests in at least two farms, and in addition derived considerable income as an ironmaster. Shortly before 1603 he rebuilt Copyhold Farm which in that year, together with his other lands held of Rotherfield Manor, were enfranchised. He also held a lease of Birchden Farm valued at his death at %pound;30. He was one of a number of joint occupiers of Old Mill Furnace in Mayfield but his interest there may only have been as a feofee of John Baker the owner. He held Birchden Forge of Baker, who had purchased it in 1617 of the Earl of Dorset. It is also likely that he had some business connection with Hamsell Furnace in Rotherfield, owned by the Dyke family into which his son married. He died 12 January 1619 and was buried at Rotherfield the following day, leaving a son Richard then under age. On Richard obtaining his majority in 1623, an Inquisition Post Mortem was held on the father at Horsham, 20 August, and Richard declared heir. Three years later, in 1626, Richard married Mary, daughter of the ironmaster-rector of Frant, William Dyke, and died 29 October 1631 aged 29 leaving two young children Elizabeth and William Maynard.

Sources in the Public Record Office for the History of the Wealden Iron Industry - Part 4, by Sybil M. Jack, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.25-32) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

A question above all others concerned with the industry which exercised the minds of Tudor governments was that of the manufacture and sale of ordnance. The traditional story is that Henry VIII encouraged this. He summoned named gunfounders - Peter Bawd and van Cohen - from the continent for the purpose, and iron ordnance was successfully cast at Buxted in 1543. This version we owe to Stowe and to others who were apologists for the Tudor monarchy. Other evidence that Henry was an active moving spirit is hard to find. It is certainly true that Bawd and Cohen had been in his employ as gunfounders - they had been since at least 1538.

Iron Pans Used in the Making of Salt in the Sixteenth Century, by Eric Holden, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, p.33) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Miss Jane Evans has drawn attention to the article by W. J. Lewis entitled 'A Welsh salt-making venture of the sixteenth century' in the Journal of the National Library of Wales 8 (1953-14), 419-25. There was a proposal to set up works on various parts of the coast to make salt in about 1565, including Blyth, Northumberland, as well as at Dover, Southampton and on the Essex coast. In 1567 similar concerns were set up in Suffolk and Essex. There are a number of letters about setting up a works in Wales, on the south side of the Dovey estuary. The method used was to allow sea water in salt marsh creeks to be exposed to air and sun for a few days, then to be boiled in two stages in buildings, to produce the salt. In the first stage the water was let into sun-pans for concentration into brine. The boiling pans were to be made of iron, but as cast-iron pans were not available they had to be made up from plates joined together on site. In 1564-5 pans had been imported from Germany. Lewis's article gives a good deal of information about the process and the equipment.

How Oldlands Roman Bloomery was really discovered, by Anne Dalton, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.34-35) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Lower's account of the discovery of Oldlands by the Rev. Edward Turner is well known. What is probably not so well known is the story of how the Vicar of Maresfield came to hear of the slag heaps at Oldlands. This story appears in Miss Bell-Irving's Mayfield in an extract of a letter to her of 16th February 1895 from Dr. Prince of Crowborough.

Bassetts Blast Furnace, by Brian Herbert, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.36-42) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

A blast furnace site has been discovered in the parish of Hartfield at TQ 4683 3738. The furnace site, which is under grass, and the leat which supplied water are owned by Mr Whetstone of Bassetts Manor. Straker referred to this site as a corn mill in 1939, but did mention that a little furnace slag was present. On investigation, in March 1980, a great deal of slag was found in the river and in the field to the south.

Excavations at Great Cansiron Farm, Hartfield, by D. R. Rudling, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, pp.43-47) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

During the winter of 1981-2 Giles Swift of the Wealden Iron Research Group discovered in a ploughed field on Great Cansiron Farm, Hartfield, an area of burnt clay and Roman tile, together with a few pieces of Roman pottery. The site, which lies close to a small stream, is located between an extensive Roman ironworking site to the south west (Tebbutt, 1972) and possible large Roman iron ore quarries to the north east (Swift, pers. comm.). In an attempt to interpret and more precisely date this site an excavation and survey were undertaken in the summer of 1982.

Incised Lettering on Graveslabs, by D. Braid, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, p.48) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

Pippingford Blast Furnace Trust, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, article, p.49) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

An historic special meeting of the WIRG Committee was held on 9 February 1983, when it was unanimously decided to form a charitable trust to preserve, and eventually to open to the public the considerable remains of Pippingford blast furnace. These are at present covered with sheets since the excavation by David Crossley in 1974/5

Notes on Publications, published 1983 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 3, note, p.50) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF