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Site Name:
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Warren (Millwood or Hedgecourt) Furnace |
OS Reference:
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TQ 3477 3928
Click here to view on Where's The Path |
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Parish:
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Worth |
Former Parish:
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Hundred:
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Buttinghill |
District:
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Mid-Sussex |
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County:
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West Sussex |
River Basin:
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Medway |
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Site Type:
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Gunfoundry, Bronze foundry, Boring Mill, Furnace |
Period:
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Modern |
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Century:
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18, 17, 16 |
Geology:
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Upper Tunbridge Wells Sand |
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Geology notes:
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Earliest known date:
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1567 |
Latest known date:
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1774 |
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Dating evidence:
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There are two distinct periods of use, both in association with Woodcock Hammer (q.v.). For the first, from before 1567 until about 1627, the furnace was Gage property, let to John Fawkner and John French in 1567 and operated by John Thorpe in 1574 (ESRO SAS G13/97, 35/15, 43/32, 45/16). The Thorpe family continued to occupy the furnace site, but in 1628 a particular of the manor stated that 'the old furnace in Mylwood is now to be letten', suggesting that it was no longer in operation. As property of the Evelyn family, Edward Raby and Alexander Master cast iron ordnance here from 1758, a local carrier transporting them between 1761-4 (West Sussex Record Office, Add Mss 46861). Both were bankrupt in 1764, details of the stock at the furnace and forge being advertised for sale the following year (Gazetteer and Daily Advertiser 29 Oct 1765 et seq.), but Raby, together with Thomas Rogers recommenced casting in iron and probably bronze until the former's death in 1771 (Hodgkinson 1978: 24-5, 1978b: 11-24). During this period, guns cast at Gravetye (q.v.) were brought to The Warren 'with their heads on', indicating that they were bored at the latter site (WSRO, Add Mss 46861). Alexander Raby abruptly quitted the furnace, and Woodcock Forge, in March 1772 (General Evening Post 2 May 1772). It is likely that this was the site occupied by Wright & Prickett in succession to Alexander Raby from 1772-4 (TNA WO 47/81 f. 99r). In 1787 Weale noted its abandonment (Sc. Mus. Weale MSS; Hodgkinson 1979, 13).
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Site Description:
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Bay: L 80m H pond in water/5m. Recently restored. Pond extent in 1748: 16 acres.
Water system: Spillway (restored c.1919) at W end. Stonework at E end, from which leads a culverted channel, probably indicates wheelpit and tail-race, though possibly for the corn mill later built on the site.
Working area: Scatter of glassy slag, together with small amounts of coal and bronze slag. On E bank of spillway stream, c.30m from bay, flat metallic area may be remains of boring swarf.
Reuse: Corn mill; the furnace mill was assessed for Land Tax in 1785 (Davey 1991, 228); the Worth Tithe map shows a mill on the site, which was probably abandoned after the spillway collapsed c.1865.
House called 'Furnace' was formerly two cottages probably dating from final phase of furnace use.
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Scheduled Monument Number:
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1005815 (WS 471) |
HER Reference:
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Bay Height (m.):
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5 |
Bay Length (m.):
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80 |
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Classis Britannica tiles:
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No |
Samian pottery:
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No |
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Cylindrical slag plugs:
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No |
Two-finery forge:
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No |
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Excavation?:
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No |
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Excavation Details:
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Description of site vegetation:
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Mixed woodland
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Slag Heap Area (m. sq) :
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Slag heap grade (Hodgkinson 1999):
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Persons Involved in Discovery:
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References:
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Hodgkinson, J. S.. (1978) The Carrier's Accounts of Robert Knight. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. First series, 13. pp. 24-5
Breach, W. P.. (1903) Extracts relating to Sussex ordnance from a carrier's account book A. D. 1761. Sussex Archaeological Collections. 46. pp. 63-8
Hodgkinson, J. S.. (1979) The Weale Manuscripts. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. 1st series, 16. pp. 11-14
(for this site see page(s) 13)
Hodgkinson, J. S.. (1978) The carrier's account of Robert Knight. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. First series, 14. pp. 11-24
Davey, R., (1991) East Sussex Land Tax 1785. Sussex Record Society vol 77. Lewes
(for this site see page(s) 228)
Straker, E. (1931) Wealden Iron. Bell. London
(for this site see page(s) 214-6)
Lower, M. A.. (1849) Iron Works of the County of Sussex. Sussex Archaeological Collections. 2. pp. 169-220
(for this site see page(s) 220)
anon.. (1975) Inventory of Iron Sites visited by WIRG. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. 1st series, 8. pp. 8-44
(for this site see page(s) 15)
Cleere, H. F. and Crossley, D. W.. (1995) The iron industry of the Weald. Merton Priory Press. Cardiff
(for this site see page(s) 364)
Hodgkinson, J. S. & Houghton, R. G.. (1992) Warren furnace, Worth, Sussex. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. 2nd series, 12. pp. 16-23
Hodgkinson, J. S.. (2000) The Raby Background: The Midlands, London and the Weald. Alexander Raby, Ironmaster. Surrey Industrial History Group. pp. 1-8
Teesdale, E. B.. (1986) The 1574 lists of ironworks in the Weald. A re-examination. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. Second series, 6. pp. 7-41
(for this site see page(s) 30-1)
Hodgkinson, J. S.. (2012) Notices of Wealden ironworks in early English newspapers. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. 32. pp. 11-27
(for this site see page(s) 18-19, 21)
Malcolm, J.. (1805) A Compendium of Modern Husbandry. Baldwin. London
(for this site see page(s) 41)
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Persons with known connections to this site:
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Evelyn, James - Owner 1752-76?
Fawkenor, John - Co-lessee/ironmaster 1567-89
French, John - Co-lessee/ironmaster 1567-?
Gage, Edward - Owner 1567-8
Gage, John - Owner 1568-98
Gage, John - Owner 1598-bef 1627
Knight, Robert - Carrier 1762-4, 1767-9
Master, Alexander - Co-Lessee/ironmaster 1758-64?
Parker, Elizabeth - Owner in 1576
Prickett, Thomas - Co-Lessee/ironmaster 1772-4?
Raby, Alexander - Lessee/ironmaster 1771-2
Raby, Edward - (Co-)Lessee/ironmaster 1758-71
Rogers, Thomas - ironmaster 1766-71
Thorpe, John - Co-Lessee/ironmaster 1570-aft 1601
Thorpe, Richard - Lessee/ironmaster 1608-abt 1627
Thorpe, Thomas - Lessee/ironmaster 1607-8
Wright, Joseph - Co-Lessee/ironmaster 1772-4?
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Documents:
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Images:
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