The Wealden Iron Industry
For two periods of British history – the first part of the Roman occupation and the Tudor and early Stuart periods – the Weald of South East England was the most productive iron-producing region in the country. Looking across the tranquil Wealden countryside, it is hard to identify anything that hints at its industrial past. Yet 400 years ago, nearly 100 furnaces and forges roared and hammered there, the smoke from charcoal-making curling up from the surrounding woods and the roads bustling with wagons laden with ore and iron sows. Many British naval campaigns, including the Spanish Armada, the Wars against the Dutch, and The Seven Years’ War, relied on Wealden iron cannon; the pressures of conflict driving forward the development of iron-producing technology. For a time the economy of the whole area was dominated by the production of iron and its raw materials, providing employment, generating prosperity and shaping the landscape irrevocably. Drawing on a wealth of local evidence, this book explores the archaeology and history of an area whose iron industry was of international importance.
- Publisher : The History Press (14 July 2008)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 176 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-0752445731
- Dimensions : 16.51 x 1.02 x 23.5 cm
Copies can be purchased from all good bookshops and direct from The History Press
‘…charts with authority and clarity the archaeology and history of iron production in the Weald.
‘ Keith Robinson (Current Archaeology)
‘The author has admirably achieved his objective of presenting this vanished industry to the general reader.
‘ Prof. Henry Cleere (Sussex Past & Present)
‘It is a fascinating book. Buy it!
‘ Maurice Rarity (Journal of Kent History Federation)
‘– a worthy addition to the bookshelves, not only of the general reader, but also of those with a deeper interest in the subject.
‘ Phil Betts (Archaeologia Cantiana)
‘This book is a treasure.
‘ Joan Thirsk (The Local Historian)
‘…an excellent introduction to the Wealden iron industry
.’ Colin Phillips (Historical Metallurgy)
‘A strength of the book is its awareness of the context of the industry.
‘ David Crossley (Industrial Archaeology Review)
British Cast-Iron Firebacks
of the 16th to mid-18th Centuries
Firebacks began to be made in Britain in the first half of the sixteenth century. From the purely functional purpose of protecting the back of the fireplace and reflecting heat into the room, it was not long before the opportunity was taken to embellish their plain surfaces. Their decoration provides us with a reflection of the social history of the times in which they were made, whether in the heraldry of royalty and the landed class, the religious and political turmoil of the Stuart period, or the beginnings of the Enlightenment and the rediscovery of classical literature.
Illustrated with more than 300 photographs, this first survey of British firebacks sets out to explore their development and variety, and to provide interpretation, where possible, of the decoration to be found on them. The illustrations are to scale so the relative sizes of firebacks can be compared, and there is an appendix with full details of each fireback shown.
The text of this book, without the illustrations, can be read HERE.
- Publisher : Hodgers Books (1 Nov. 2010) OUT OF PRINT
- Language : English
- Paperback : 278 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-0956672605
- Dimensions : 21 x 1.8 x 27 cm
‘A first-class piece of work in all respects.
‘ Philip Riden (Sussex Past and Present)
‘This book … will be of value not only to historians of the iron industry but to vernacular and polite building studies.
‘ David Crossley (Historical Metallurgy)
‘A very comprehensive work and a must for anyone with an interest in early ironwork.
‘ Keith Pinn (Journal of the Antique Metalware Society)
‘A beautifully illustrated reference work.
‘ Christopher Chalklin (Archaeologia Cantiana)
‘A very readable, thoroughly researched and interesting book.
‘ Nick Booth (Surrey Archaeological Society)
‘…Successfully combines being an interesting introduction to its subject and a scholarly study.
‘ Chris Currie (Regional Furniture Society)