Themachinewasamereuprightdrillworkedbythewater-wheel,whichwasonlyeighteeninchesacrossthebreast。Thepropertybelonged,asitstilldoes,totheAshburnhamfamily,whoaresaidtohavederivedgreatwealthfromthemanufactureofgunsattheirworks,whichwereamongthelastcarriedoninSussex。TheAshburnhamironwasdistinguishedforitstoughness,andwassaidtobeequaltothebestSpanishorSwedishiron。
Manynewmenalsobecameenriched,andfoundedcountyfamilies;theFullerfamilyfranklyavowingtheirorigininthesingularmottoofCarboneetforcipibus——literally,bycharcoalandtongs。*
[footnote……
RemindingoneoftheoddmottoassumedbyGillespie,thetobacconistofEdinburgh,founderofGillespie’sHospital,onwhosecarriage-panelswasemblazonedaScotchmull,withthemotto,”Whawadha’thochtit,Thatnosescouldha’boughtit!”
ItisjustpossiblethattheFullersmayhavetakentheirmottofromthewordsemployedbyJuvenalindescribingthefatherofDemosthenes,whowasablacksmithandasword-cutler——”Quempaterardentismassaefuliginelippus,AcarboneetforcipibusgladiosqueparanteIncudeetluteoVulcanoadrhetoramisit。”
MenthenwentintoSussextopushtheirfortunesattheforges,astheynowdoinWalesorStaffordshire;andtheysucceededthen,astheydonow,bydintofapplication,industry,andenergy。TheSussexArchaeologicalPapersfor1860containacuriousrecordofsuchanadventurer,inthehistoryofthefounderoftheGalefamily。LeonardGalewasbornin1620atRiverhead,nearSevenoaks,wherehisfatherpursuedthetradeofablacksmith。Whentheyouthhadreachedhisseventeenthyear,hisfatherandmother,withfiveoftheirsonsanddaughters,diedoftheplague,Leonardandhisbrotherbeingtheonlymembersofthefamilythatsurvived。Thepatrimonyof200L。leftthemwassoonspent;afterwhichLeonardpaidoffhisservants,andtooktoworkdiligentlyathisfather’strade。Savingalittlemoney,hedeterminedtogodownintoSussex,whereweshortlyfindhimworkingtheSt。Leonard’sForge,andafterwardstheTensleyForgenearCrawley,andtheCowdenIron-works,whichthenboreahighreputation。Afterfortyyears’labour,heaccumulatedagoodfortune,whichhelefttohissonofthesamename,whowentoniron-forging,andeventuallybecameacountygentleman,ownerofthehouseandestateofCrabbettnearWorth,andMemberofParliamentforEastGrinstead。
Severalofthenewfamilies,however,afteroccupyingahighpositioninthecounty,againsubsidedintothelabouringclass,illustratingtheLancashireproverbof”Twiceclogs,onceboots,”thesonssquanderingwhatthefather’shadgathered,andfallingbackintotheranksagain。ThusthegreatFowlesfamilyofRiverhalldisappearedaltogetherfromSussex。OneofthembuiltthefinemansionofRiverhall,nobleevenindecay。AnotherhadagrantoffreewarrenfromKingJamesoverhisestatesinWadhurst,Frant,Rotherfield,andMayfield。Mr。Lowersaysthefourthindescentfromthispersonkepttheturnpike-gateatWadhurst,andthatthelastofthefamily,aday-labourer,emigratedtoAmericain1839,carryingwithhim,asthesolerelicofhisfamilygreatness,theroyalgrantoffreewarrengiventohisancestor。TheBarhamsandManserswerealsogreatiron-men,officiatingashighsheriffsofthecountyatdifferenttimes,andoccupyingspaciousmansions。Onebranchofthesefamiliesterminated,Mr。Lowersays,withNicholasBarham,whodiedintheworkhouseatWadhurstin1788;andanothercontinuestoberepresentedbyawheelwrightatWadhurstofthesamename。
TheironmanufactureofSussexreacheditsheighttowardsthecloseofthereignofElizabeth,whenthetradebecamesoprosperousthat,insteadofimportingiron,Englandbegantoexportitinconsiderablequantities,intheshapeofironordnance。SirThomasLeightonandSirHenryNevillehadobtainedpatentsfromthequeen,whichenabledthemtosendtheirordnanceabroad,theconseqnenceofwhichwasthattheSpaniardswerefoundarmingtheirshipsandfightinguswithgunsofourownmanufacture。SirWalterRaleigh,callingattentiontothesubjectintheHouseofCommons,said,”IamsureheretoforeoneshipofHerMajesty’swasabletobeattenSpaniards,butnow,byreasonofourownordnance,wearehardlymatchtonetoone。”Proclamationswereissuedforbiddingtheexportofironandbrassordnance,andabillwasbroughtintoParliamenttoputastoptothetrade;but,notwithstandingtheseprohibitions,theSussexgunslongcontinuedtobesmuggledoutofthecountryinconsiderablenumbers。”Itisalmostincredible,”saysCamden,”howmanygunsaremadeoftheironinthiscounty。CountGondomartheSpanishambassadorwellknewtheirgoodnesswhenhesooftenbeggedofKingJamestheboontoexportthem。”Thoughthekingrefusedhissanction,itappearsthatSirAnthonyShirleyofWeston,anextensiveiron-master,succeededinforwardingtotheKingofSpainahundredpiecesofcannon。
SoactiveweretheSussexmanufacturers,andsobriskwasthetradetheycarriedon,thatduringthereignofJamesI。itissupposedone-halfofthewholequantityofironproducedinEnglandwasmadethere。SimonSturtevant,inhis’TreatiseofMetallica,’publishedin1612,estimatesthewholenumberofiron-millsinEnglandandWalesat800,ofwhich,hesays,”therearefourehundredmilnesinSurry,Kent,andSussex,asthetownsmenofHaslemerehavetestifiedandnumbereduntome。ButthetownsmenofHaslemeremustcertainlyhavebeenexaggerating,unlesstheycountedsmiths’andfarriers’shopsinthenumberofiron-mills。AboutthesametimethatSturtevant’streatisewaspublished,thereappearedatreatiseentitledthe’Surveyor’sDialogue,’byoneJohnNorden,theobjectofwhichwastomakeoutacaseagainsttheiron-worksandtheirbeingallowedtoburnupthetimberofthecountryforfuel。YetNordendoesnotmakethenumberofiron-worksmuchmorethanathirdofSturtevant’sestimate。Hesays,”IhaveheardthatthereareorlatelywereinSussexneere140hammersandfurnacesforiron,andinitandSurreyadjoiningthreeorfourglasse-houses。”EventhesmallernumberstatedbyNorden,however,showsthatSussexwasthenregardedastheprincipalseatoftheiron-trade。Camdenvividlydescribesthenoiseandbustleofthemanufacture——theworkingoftheheavyhammers,which,”beatingupontheiron,filltheneighbourhoodroundabout,dayandnight,withcontinualnoise。”Thesehammerswereforthemostpartworkedbythepowerofwater,carefullystoredintheartificial”Hammer-ponds”abovedescribed。Thehammer-shaftwasusuallyofash,about9feetlong,clampedatintervalswithironhoops。Itwasworkedbytherevolutionsofthewater-wheel,furnishedwithprojectingarmsorknobstoraisethehammer,whichfellaseachknobpassed,therapidityofitsactionofcoursedependingonthevelocitywithwhichthewater-wheelrevolved。Theforge-blastwasalsoworkedforthemostpartbywater-power。Wherethefurnacesweresmall,theblastwasproducedbyleatherbellowsworkedbyhand,orbyahorsewalkinginagin。Thefoot-blastsoftheearlieriron-smeltersweresoimperfectthatbutasmallproportionoftheorewasreduced,sothattheiron-makersoflatertimes,moreparticularlyintheForestofDean,insteadofdiggingforironstone,resortedtothebedsofancientscoriaefortheirprincipalsupplyofthemineral。
NotwithstandingthelargenumberoffurnacesinblastthroughoutthecountyofSussexattheperiodwereferto,theirproducewascomparativelysmall,andmustnotbemeasuredbytheenormousproduceofmoderniron-works;forwhileaniron-furnaceofthepresentdaywilleasilyturnout150tonsofpigperweek,thebestoftheolderfurnacesdidnotproducemorethanfromthreetofourtons。OneofthelastextensivecontractsexecutedinSussexwasthecastingoftheironrailswhichencloseSt。Paul’sCathedral。Thecontractwasthoughttoolargeforoneiron-mastertoundertake,anditwasconsequentlydistributedamongstseveralcontractors,thoughtheprincipalpartoftheworkwasexecutedatLamberhurst,nearTunbridgeWells。Buttoproducethecomparativelysmallquantityofironturnedoutbytheoldworks,theconsumptionoftimberwasenormous;forthemakingofeverytonofpig-ironrequiredfourloadsoftimberconvertedintocharcoalfuel,andthemakingofeverytonofbar-ironrequiredthreeadditionalloads。Thus,notwithstandingtheindispensableneedofiron,theextensionofthemanufacture,bythreateningthedestructionofthetimberofthesoutherncounties,cametoberegardedinthelightofanationalcalamity。Uptoacertainpoint,theclearingoftheWealdofitsdensegrowthofunderwoodhadbeenofadvantage,byaffordingbetteropportunitiesfortheoperationsofagriculture。Butthe”voragiousiron-mills”
wereproceedingtoswallowupeverythingthatwouldburn,andtheoldforestgrowthswererapidlydisappearing。Anentirewoodwassoonexhausted,andlongtimewasneededbeforeitgrewagain。AtLamberhurstalone,thoughtheproducewasonlyaboutfivetonsofirona-week,theannualconsumptionofwoodwasabout200,000cords!
Woodcontinuedtobetheonlymaterialusedforfuelgenerally——astrongprejudiceexistingagainsttheuseofsea-coalfordomesticpurposes。*
[footnote……
Itwasthenbelievedthatseaorpit-coalwaspoisonouswhenburntindwellings,andthatitwasespeciallyinjurioustothehumancomplexion。Allsortsofdiseaseswereattributedtoitsuse,andatonetimeitwasevenpenaltoburnit。TheLondonersonlybegantoreconcilethemselvestotheuseofcoalwhenthewoodwithinreachofthemetropolishadbeennearlyallburntup,andnootherfuelwastobehad。
Itthereforebegantobefearedthattherewouldbenoavailablefuelleftwithinpracticablereachofthemetropolis;andthecontingencyofhavingtofacetherigorouscoldofanEnglishwinterwithoutfuelnaturallyoccasioningmuchalarm,theactionoftheGovernmentwasdeemednecessarytoremedytheapprehendedevil。
TocheckthedestructionofwoodnearLondon,anActwaspassedin1581prohibitingitsconversionintofuelforthemakingofironwithinfourteenmilesoftheThames,forbiddingtheerectionofnewironworkswithintwenty-twomilesofLondon,andrestrictingthenumberofworksinKent,Surrey,andSussex,beyondtheabovelimits。
SimilarenactmentsweremadeinfutureParliamentswiththesameobject,whichhadtheeffectofcheckingthetrade,andseveraloftheSussexironmasterswereunderthenecessityofremovingtheirworkselsewhere。SomeofthemmigratedtoGlamorganshire,inSouthWales,becauseoftheabundanceoftimberaswellasironstoneinthatquarter,andtheresetuptheirforges,moreparticularlyatAberdareandMerthyrTydvil。Mr。Llewellinhasrecentlypublishedaninterestingaccountoftheirproceedings,withdescriptionsoftheirworks,*
[footnote……
ArchaeologiaCambrensis,3rdSeries,No。34,April,1863。Art。”SussexIronmastersinGlamorganshire。”
remainsofwhichstillexistatLlwydcoed,Pontyryns,andotherplacesintheAberdarevalley。AmongtheSussexmasterswhosettledinGlamorganshireforthepurposeofcarryingontheironmanufacture,wereWalterBurrell,thefriendofJohnRay,thenaturalist,oneoftheMorleysofGlyndeinSussex,theRelfesfromMayfield,andtheCheneysfromCrawley。
Notwithstandingthesemigrationsofenterprisingmanufacturers,theirontradeofSussexcontinuedtoexistuntilthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury,whenthewasteoftimberwasagainurgedupontheattentionofParliament,andthepenaltiesforinfringingthestatutesseemtohavebeenmorerigorouslyenforced。Thetradethensufferedamoreseriouscheck;andduringthecivilwars,aheavyblowwasgiventoitbythedestructionoftheworksbelongingtoallroyalists,whichwasaccomplishedbyadivisionofthearmyunderSirWilliamWaller。MostoftheWelshironworkswererazedtothegroundaboutthesametime,andwerenotagainrebuilt。AndaftertheRestoration,in1674,alltheroyalironworksintheForestofDeanweredemolished,leavingonlysuchtobesuppliedwithoreaswerebeyondtheforestlimits;thereasonallegedforthismeasurebeinglesttheironmanufactureshouldendangerthesupplyoftimberrequiredforshipbuildingandothernecessarypurposes。
FromthistimetheironmanufactureofSussex,asofEnglandgenerally,rapidlydeclined。In1740therewereonlyfifty-ninefurnacesinallEngland,ofwhichtenwereinSussex;andin1788
therewereonlytwo。Afewyearslater,andtheSussexironfurnaceswereblownoutaltogether。Farnhurst,inwestern,andAshburnham,ineasternSussex,witnessedthetotalextinctionofthemanufacture。
Thedinoftheironhammerwashushed,theglareofthefurnacefaded,thelastblastofthebellowswasblown,andthedistrictreturnedtoitsoriginalruralsolitude。Someofthefurnace-pondsweredrainedandplantedwithhopsorwillows;othersformedbeautifullakesinretiredpleasure-grounds;whiletheremainderwereusedtodriveflour-mills,asthestreamsinNorthKent,insteadofdrivingfulling-mills,wereemployedtoworkpaper-mills。Allthatnowremainsoftheoldiron-worksaretheextensivebedsofcindersfromwhichmaterialisoccasionallytakentomendtheSussexroads,andthenumerousfurnace-ponds,hammer-posts,forges,andcinderplaces,whichmarktheseatsoftheancientmanufacture。
CHAPTERIII。
IRON-SMELTINGBYPIT-COAL——DUDDUDLEY。”GodofhisInfinitegoodnessifwewillbuttakenoticeofhisgoodnessuntothisNationhathmadethisCountryaveryGranaryforthesupplyingofSmithswithIron,Cole,andLimemadewithcole,whichhathmuchsuppliedthesemenwithCornalsooflate;andfromthesemenagreatpart,notonlyofthisIsland,butalsoofhisMajestie’sotherKingdomsandTerritories,withIronwareshavetheirsupply,andWoodinthesepartsalmostexhausted,althoughitwereoflateamightywoodlandcountry。”——DUDLEY’sMetallumMartis,1665。
Thesevererestrictionsenforcedbythelegislatureagainsttheuseofwoodiniron-smeltinghadtheeffectofalmostextinguishingthemanufacture。Newfurnacesceasedtobeerected,andmanyoftheoldoneswereallowedtofallintodecay,untilitbegantobefearedthatthisimportantbranchofindustrywouldbecomecompletelylost。