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Experimental
Bloomery
Excavation
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FIND OUT MORE about the Wealden Iron Industry
Anne of Cleves House, Lewes, Sussex
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The best museum display devoted to the Iron Industry of the Weald is in Anne of Cleves House Museum in Lewes, which is run by the Sussex Archaeological Society. This shows you how iron ore, mined locally was smelted in water-powered blast furnaces to make iron and how cannon was cast. There is also on display a boring bar recovered from a garden at Stream Furnace Mill, Chiddingly.
Visit the museum's website to find out about opening times and admissions. |
Firebacks
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Firebacks were cast by pouring molten iron into a sand mould. The mould was created by first making a wooden replica of the desired design and pressing this blank into a tray of damp sand, although very early examples had small objects pressed into the sand, even pieces of rope to make a date or initials.
Anne of Cleves House has a substantial collection of firebacks and two rare, original wooden fireback patterns.
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| A mid sixteenth century fireback, using small wooden designs
pressed into the sand mould several times. |
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Hastings Museum also has a good collection of firebacks but these are not on display at present.
NB: There is a NEW BOOK on British Cast-iron Firebacks - more details HERE
Rural Life Centre, Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DL.
 A half-scale reconstruction of a Wealden blast furnace and forge hammer has been built at the Centre and is open to visitors. Although it does not make iron, a waterwheel operates the furnace bellows and the hammer and gives visitors a good idea of the appearance of these mechanisms at work. A short video sequence filmed during the Wealden Iron Research Group's AGM at Tilford in 2011 can be viewed by clicking HERE. Further infomation about the Centre can be obtained from their website.
Ordnance and Cannon
Fort Nelson was built to protect Portsmouth harbour against the threat of invasion, but is now a Royal Armouries Museum. It has an impressive collection of weaponry through the centuries, including cannon made at furnaces in the Weald.
Visit the museum's website to find out opening times and admissions. |
Iron ordnance cast in the Weald. |
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A 'Brass' ie bronze mortar cast by William Bowen, a Wealden founder, in the 1760s. |
Iron Graveslabs
This is not an important commercial product of the Wealden furnaces, but from the 16th century several people associated with the Iron Industry had iron graveslabs made using the same method as for firebacks, instead of using the usual carved stone monument. There are several churches in Sussex which have them but the largest number surviving are in the church at St.Peter & St.Paul, Wadhurst. The picture shows one made for a lawyer's wife and is in East Grinstead church.
© Wealden Iron Research Group 2000-12.
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