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Site Name:
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Chingley Forge |
OS Reference:
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TQ 6820 3350
Click here to view on Where's The Path |
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Parish:
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Ticehurst |
Former Parish:
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Goudhurst |
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Hundred:
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West Barnfield/Little Barnfield |
District:
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Rother |
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County:
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East Sussex |
River Basin:
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Medway |
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Site Type:
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Forge |
Period:
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Modern, Medieval |
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Century:
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18, 14, 16, 17 |
Geology:
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Wadhurst Clay |
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Geology notes:
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Earliest known date:
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1588 |
Latest known date:
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1726 |
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Dating evidence:
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Excavations at the site of the post-medieval forge revealed the remains of a timber-framed wheel-pit dated from associated pottery to 1300-50. Other debris suggested a use probably connected with iron forging, rather than corn milling or cloth fulling. Payments of iron were due to the Abbot of Boxley, from Chingley manor, temp. Edward I, i.e. 1272-1307 (TNA, SC 6/1251/2), and there is clear evidence from Ministers’ Accounts, e.g. payments to smiths and for the carriage of iron, of the existence of an ironworks on the demesne of the manor between 1340-54 (TNA, SC 6/889/2-6).
Built after 1574 but before 1588, when Richard Ballard was tenant of Henry Darell (Staffs. RO, D593/5/4/28/3). Darell sold the property, including the forge, to Sir Edward Culpeper in 1589, who sold it on to Edmund Pelham of Catsfield, who already had an interest in the furnace, and James Thatcher (uncle of Culpeper), of Priesthawes in Westham, in 1595 (Loder 1907, 52-3). The overflowing of the pond is referred to in 1599 (ESRO, DYK 712). In 1628-9 pig iron was brought from Snape furnace (ESRO, Q1/EW.1/15.1.1629), the wording implying that Alexander Thomas, who brought the pig from Snape, was also the lessee of Chingley. By 1637 William Darell, part-owner of Scotney and Chingley, leased the forge to Henry Darell (TNA, SP 23/67/811). The highway and water course to the forge were mentioned in 1653 (ESRO, DYK/503). It was not mentioned in the lists of 1653 or 1664, but was in operation in 1717, producing 46 tons. It was marked on Budgen's map of 1724. John Legas was tenant in 1726 (KHLC, U409/T2).
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Site Description:
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(Site now flooded by Bewl Reservoir. Notes of features before excavation and inundation)
Bay: L 100m H barely discernible. Breached by stream at W end.
Water system: Pond dry.
Working area: Cinder seen at head of tail-race before excavation (Report: Crossley 1975).
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Scheduled Monument Number:
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HER Reference:
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Bay Height (m.):
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0.1 |
Bay Length (m.):
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100 |
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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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Yes |
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Excavation Details:
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see Crossley D. W.. (1975) The Bewl Valley Ironworks. Royal Archaeological Institute.
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Description of site vegetation:
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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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Hulme, E. W.. (1929) Statistical History of the Iron Trade of England and Wales, 1717-1750. Transactions of the Newcomen Society. 9. pp. 12-35
(for this site see page(s) 21, 25)
Tylecote, R. F.. (1986) The Prehistory of Metallurgy in the British Isles. The Institute of Metals. London
(for this site see page(s) 220)
Crawshaw, G.. (2024) Boxley Abbey Iron. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. Second series, 44. pp. 8-22
(for this site see page(s) 17-21)
Straker, E. (1931) Wealden Iron. Bell. London
(for this site see page(s) 277)
Crossley, D. W.. (1975) The Bewl Valley Ironworks. Royal Archaeological Institute
Cleere, H. F. and Crossley, D. W.. (1995) The iron industry of the Weald. Merton Priory Press. Cardiff
(for this site see page(s) 322)
Hodgkinson, J. S.. (2004) Ironworks in Late-16th Century Kent. Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group. Second series, 24. pp. 6-16
(for this site see page(s) 8)
Loder, G. W. E.. (1907) Wakehurst Place. privately printed. London
(for this site see page(s) 52)
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Persons with known connections to this site:
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Ballard, Richard - Lessee/ironmaster in 1588
Culpeper, Edward - Owner 1589-95
Darell, Arthur - Owner 1701-20
Darell, George - Owner 1720-aft 1726
Darell, Henry - Owner/ironmaster bef 1588-9
Darell, Henry - Lessee/ironmaster 1637-?
Darell, William - Part owner c.1614-1638
Darell, William - Owner 1638-1701
Legas, John - Lessee/ironmaster in 1726
Pelham, Edmund - Co-owner 1595-1606
Standen, George - ?forgeman in 1613
Thatcher, James - Co-owner 1595-1614?
Thomas, Alexander - tenant/ironmaster bef 1628- after 1634
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Documents:
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Images:
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