Iron Furnaces in South-Eastern England and English Ports and Landing-Places

Iron Furnaces in South-Eastern England and English Ports and Landing-Places, 1578 David Mathew; Gervase Mathew The English Historical Review, Vol. 48, No. 189. (Jan., 1933), pp. 91-99. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28193301%2948%3A189%3C91%3AIFISEA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P The English Historical Review is currently published by Oxford University Press. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/about/terms.html. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/journals/oup.html. 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For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. http://www.jstor.org Tue Jul 24 16:39:48 2007 1933 MEDIE VAL VISITATION SYSTEM 91 Vol. x, pp. 200, 278, 280, 281 (2), 282 (2), 283, 284 (2), 286, 287, 290, 293, 317 (2), 321 (2), 322, 326, 327, 329, 331, 344, 357, 364, 366, 368, 379, 381, 393, 394, 396, 398, 403, 404, 407 (2), 408, 409, 413, 420, 430 (2), 431, 432, 434, 436, 442, 444 (2), 445, 446, 447, 450 (2), 456, 460, 463, 491, 492, 493 (2), 495 (2), 503 (2), 505, 512, 519, 522, 542, 544, 545, 555, 556 (2), 580, 582 (2), 587, 588, 589, 595, 596, 598, 638, 639, 640, 663, 664, 665, 667, 674, 675, 683 (2), 684, 699, 700, 701, 704, 705, 707, 708, 710, 718, 719, 721, 723, 726, 727. Vol. xi, pp. 28, 32, 48, 60, 198, 200, 213 (2), 215 (2), 219, 220, 221, 223, 224, 251 (2), 254 (2), 255, 260, 264, 265 (2), 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 (2), 283, 284, 285, 292, 294, 304 (2), 305 (2), 306, 308, 314 (2), 315, 332, 339, 340, 342, 344, 345, 249, 351, 352, 354, 355, 356, 393, 398, 407, 411, 428, 430, 436, 437, 444, 451 (2), 459, 461, 465, 467, 473, 475, 476, 481, 485, 486, 487 (2), 490, 499, 500, 501, 508, 596. SCOTLAND Vol. vii, p. 151. Vol. viii, pp. 199, 561, 625 (2). Vol. ix, pp. 48, 144,174, 226,289,352,404,465, 471,509,566,576. Vol. x, pp. 320, 406, 470, 493, 495, 547, 706. Vol. xi, pp. 39, 47, 412, 424, 445, 455, 579. Iron Furnaces in Soutlz-eastern England and English Ports and Landing-places, 1578 THEfollowing document, which throws considerable light on the condition of the iron trade in Kent and in the Sussex Weald, was compiled in 1578 by an official of the Admiralty, Christopher Baker, who a t that time held a grant of the survivorship of the office of clerk and keeper of the stores a t Deptford, Chatham, and Portsmouth. Four years earlier, on 1 5 February 1574, he had completed another inquiry into the working of the iron furnaces in Sussex.l The present paper represents Baker's completed survey. Since 1572 he had been engaged in these investigations, which were continued after he had obtained possession of his office a t Deptford in 1582. A grant of the survivorship of the place of clerk of the stores and storehouses for the navy on 19 April 1594 seems to mark his last appearance." In connexion with the export of ordnance abroad, the great interest in the iron trade possessed by such an influential politician as Lord Buckhurst is noteworthy, as is the number of furnaces controlled by catholic recusants, such as Lord Montague, Sir Alexander Culpepper, and Xr. Gage. It is interesting to trace the rise of a type of iron worker, who managed the furnaces for some wealthy landowner and was thus enabled to set up in business The results are contained in State Papers, Dom., Eliz., xcv. 20 and 21. Cal. of State Papers, Dom., 1.591-4, p. 488. 92 IRON FURNACES 11V ENGLAND AND January for himself. A comparison can be made with the details of the Sidney and Ashburnham iron works near Robertsbridge described in the calendar of the de Lisle and Dudley manuscripts,l pp. 305- 18. A number of names in Baker's list are repeated more than once, but it is possible that different furnaces in the same parish are being referred to in some cases. Appended to the list of iron furnaces and forges, there is a schedule of landing-places and ports. This falls into two well- defined sections, in the first only ports and fishing harbours being mentioned, while in the second the landing-places are given in the most minute detail. Working generally from east to west and then from north to south, the harbours on the south and east coasts are described with reasonable accuracy, but the lists for the west coast and notably for Lancashire are very defective. Wales represents a special case, as there is evidence that the list has been compiled by a stranger, without knowledge of the lan- guage or of the geography of the country, and a disproportionate number of landing-places on the Monmouthshire shore of the Bristol channel are included in comparison with the neglect from which the Pembroke coast for instance suffers. The most interest- ing part of the schedule is to be found in the detailed examination which is made of the landing-places on the Essex coast and on both shores of the Solent, while in the case of Essex in particular over one hundred and thirty quays and creek harbours are mentioned. In his capacity as assistant store-keeper a t Deptford and Ports- mouth, Baker would have had an intimate knowledge of this part of the coast-line. I n both parts of the document clerical errors are to be found, and there is in the list of ports a certain amount of repetition. DAVIDAND GERVASEMATHEW. State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth. Book 117, no. 39. Declaration by Christopher Baker of Iron Furnaces and Ports (undated, queried in Calendar as October 1577). [on outer cover] Iron Furnasses. The Names of the Fortes, Creekes, and Landing places in Englande and Wales. Touching Iron furnacies. A Declaracion of Christopher Baker. It maie please your Honores to Consider the seuerall notes insuing which doe Concerne the great spoile & Consumacion of oke tymber & other woodes within the Counties of Sussex Surrey & kent by meanes of Iron Milles & Furnaces viz : The Lord Buckhurst his Fornace or els Arthure Miltons in the parishe of Rotherfielde in Sussex. Hi,?$. MSS. Conam. 93 1933 ENGLISH PORTS AND LANDING-PLACES Sir Thomas Greshames Fornace in the parishe of Mayfielde in Sussex. Nicholas Fowles Furnace in the parishe of Bucksted or in Feranckfield parishe. Theis v Fornaces are imploied to no other use but for the making of ordinance and shotte. Hereafter followethe the names of the Receavours 6 sellers which are in bargaine with the owners of the abouesaid Furnaces for the utterance and sale of all suche peces as are made a t the said Furnaces. Mr Brianne Hog. Mr Partridge Robert Crockhey of St. Katherines smithe. Hopking of Tower hill smithe Henrie poder smithe with others of the said scyence that doethe make the iron worke to the Cariages of all suche peces solde and one Foxall a marchant that hathe bin a great Conveyor of Ordinance from hence beionde the seas Item ther is a newe Furnace set up in Shillingley parke by one Smithe of Petworthe and one Ernsfield of Grinsted. Item an other newe Furnace set up in Haselmore by my Lord Montague which as yet hathe never wrought, & whether they shall blowe sowes for Iron or Ordinance I knowe not. Besides theis Furnaces aforesaid ther are not so fewe as an hundrethe Furnaces & Iron Milles in Sussex Surraie & kent which is greatlie to the decaie spoile & overthrove of woodes & principal1 tymber with a greate decaie also of tillage for that they are Contynewallie imploied in Carrying of Furniture for the said workes. And likewies a great decaie to the heighe waies because they carrie all winter tyme. And further . . . I am well assured ther hathe bin sold to one strangers shippe being an argosaie not past one monethe past by Partridge & others xx peces of Ordinance a t the least. Likewies ther be diuers & sondrie Marchantes & Masters of Marchantes shippes that doe find them selves marvelouslie molested & otherwhiles robbed by the reason of the greate store of Ordinance that hathe bin con- veyed and sold to strangers out of this realme wherbie there shippes are so well appointed that no poore Marchantes shippe maie passe thoroughe the seas. Moreover. . . . I doe thincke that this Commoditie of Ordinance that is made within this Realme & allreadie sold will torne to a discommoditie when time of Seruice shall require. Item y t may please your Honores t o Consider that this Ordinance making is a Commoditie to a fewe & a discommoditie to the whole Common welthe. And no common marchandise for euerie privat subiect to deale withal1 but more meet for the Prince onlie. The premisses considered of your Honores I haue thought it my dutie to signifie unto the same that unles speedie remeadie be provided in theis respectes ther will not be tymber sufficient t o be had within theis fewe yeres for her Majestie to buyld any shippes or otherwies. IRON FURNACE'S IIY ENGLAND AND January The names of the Iron workes arid Furnaces and the places wher they are planted. Sir Richard Baker knight one forge one Fornace in Crambroke and Hawkhurst Sir Alexander Culpeper i furnace in Gawderst also Badberie furnace in Crambroke parishe Thomas Dicke one forge in Dorndale Thomas brattell one furnace in horsmonden in the handes of Mr Ashburham Kent Sir Thomas Fane one furnace in Tunbridge Davie Willende ij forges one fornace in Tunbridge Quyntin one fornace in Cowden Sir Walter Waller one forge in Birkenden in other menes hands Thomas [blank] one forge one furnace in Asheherst Thomas Darrell one furnace in Chingleye in the handes of Thomas Dicke ' Stephen Collins one forge in Lamberhurst The Lord Montague one forge in Frant in the handes of John Porter Breechers ij forges in Frante in the handes of Mr wiborne & Mr Leeche The Lord Aburgavenie one forge one furnace in Waterdowne John Berham ij forges in Frante in other mens handes Nicholas Powle j forge j furnace in Wadeherst Arthur Rlilton j furnace in Retherfield also a furnace called hugges furnace. A forge a t litle Buxted [blank] one furnace in Retherfield Farmer one furnace in [blank] Sir Thomas Grasham one furnace in Mayfielde Isted one forge on Maifield Sir John Pelham two forges j furnace in Dalington hethenfield Waldon or Brightling in other mens handes Sussex. Sir Richard Baker one furnace in Dallington Sir Richard Baker ij forges ij furnaces in heathfield & Marbleton Sir Robert Tirwhite j forge j furnace in echingham in the handes of Glede Sir Henri Sidney one forge j furnace in Robertsbridge Bruggsell j forge in Saleherst bfr Finche j forge in Netherfield or ther aboutes Mr Ashburham ij forges j furnace in Ashburnam or theraboutes The Lord Dacres j forge j furnace in Buckholt in the handes of Geff freis Nynyan Eurwell j furnace Ralphe hog j furnace called Marshall The Lord Buckhurst j forge in Fleching in the handes of Mr Leeche also a forge at Sheffield The Lord Buckherst j forge in Ashfield in the handes of Mr. Belfe Anthonie Norlay j forge j furnace in Preshfield & horsteade Mr. Barrington j forge j furnace in hersted kaynes 95 1933 ENGLISH PORTS AND LANDING-PLACES