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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 December 2009
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This indenture made the last daye of November the xxiiith yere [of] the reign of our sovereigne lord Kyng Henry the viii bytwene Richard (blank) Clarke parson of penhurst in the Countye of Sussex on the oone partye and Wylliam Spycer of dalington in the saide Countye yeoman on the other partye. Wytnesseth that where the saide wylliam is fully myndyd and purposed to erect buyld and sett up a certein furnes to melte in Iron next unto a parcell of Land called Pannyngrege in the parish of Asshbornham in the said Countie Yt is theruppon condescended covenanted grannted and agreed betwene the said persons in maner and fourme following That ys to saye the said Richard hathe dimised grannted to ferme letten and by these presentes dimittith granntith and to ferme lettith unto the saide William Sixe Acres of Lande (with thappurtennants) next adioynyng and lying As the saide landes and woodes called pannyngrege aforesaide that it is to saye oone of the saide vi acres (more or lesse boundying up to the high wey South on the one ende and to a serten hege there now beyng on the Este parte)2 Wherupon it shall be lyefull to the saide William to erecte or make the wall and to sett the furnes aforesaide and otherwise to use for the necessary and myet Comodyties of the same furnes and the v acres residue of the saide vi acres for and concernyng conveyance of the water and streame miet and necessarye to dryve the whele of the saide furnes with To have and to holde the same vi acres of lande to the saide William Spicer to his executours and assignes from the feaste of Saint Michell Tharchangell next comyng after the date herof unto thende and terme of xxi yeres frome thense next comyng and fully to bee endyd yelding and paying threfore yerely duryng the said terme to the said Richard to his executors and successors xxs sterling at the feaste of thannunciacion of our lady and saint mighell the archangell by evyn porcions to be payd and if yt fortune the said rent to bee [behinde] unpaid in parte or in all after any terme of payment thereof in which it ought to bee paid by the space of xv days that than it shall bee lawful to the saide Richard and his successors yet the premysses to entre and distreyne and the distresses there so taken lawfully from thense to loade dryve and cary awaye and with theym to retain hold and kepe untyll the said yerely rent together with tharrerages therof be unto the said Richard and his successors fully satisfied contented and paide and the saide Richard for him and his successors covenantith and granntith to and with the saide William his executours and assignes by these presente that the same William his executours and assignes shall from tyme to tyme within thre yeres nexte ensueng after the same furnes shalbe soo erected and sett up (at and uppon suche reasonable price) and price (as the between the said parson and the saide William shalbe concluded agreed) fell cutte downe and carye awaye thorough and over the lande of the saide parsonage all the woodes and underwoodes nowe standing and growing in and uppon all the landes belonging to the saide parsonage except great tymber and suche woode as been growing aboute the saide parsonage and the Barme [ ] (the said William his executors and assignes paying for every lode of Cole iiid and for every lode of mynde the fyrst yere of the foreseid firme id and after the seid fyrst yere for every lode of mynde id ob and unto thend of the foreseid terme and fulfill and make pleyne the mynde pytts of the same) for the defence of theim or of either of theim or of either and also except sowell convenient and miet for thoccupieng of the parsonne ther And also that it shalbe lyefull to the saide wylliam his executors and assignes in all places myet and convenyent by the discrestion of the said wylliam his executors or assignes and upon price aforesaid bytwene the said parties concluded and had to dyg for oore or myne myet and necessarye for the said furnes So that the same wylliam his executors or assignes fyll up agen and make playne the place so dygged at his owne proper costs and charges before he shall breke up any other place Provided always that yf it shall fortune the same water myet for the said furnes not to surrownde or overflowe all the said v acres of lande soo letten by the same parson than yt shall bee liefull to the said parsone and his successors to occupye and manure to his owne propre use and profyt asmoche of the same v acres as shall not bee surrounded or overflowen So that he doo nowe acte upon the same whereby the water myet and necessary for the said furnes shalbe stopped or lett of his [Coste].
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References
page 41 note 1 Crossed out.
page 41 note 2 Inserted between lines.
page 41 note 3 Substituted for assigns.
page 41 note 4 Substituted for a quarter of a yere.
page 41 note 5 Followed originally by with appertenances.
page 42 note 6 Originally foure, altered to fyve, which was in turn amended to thre.
page 42 note 7 Passages crossed out.
page 42 note 8 Inserted between the lines.
page 42 note 9 Originally reasonable.
page 43 note 1 At head of each subsequent page.
page 43 note 2 The head of the tailrace.
page 43 note 3 Probably the channel through the top of the dam, containing the trough (flash) to the penstock.
page 43 note 4 The three items under ironwork appear to be scored out in the ms.
page 45 note 5 If the wage rate and the total are correct, the working period should perhaps read 10½ days.
page 45 note 6 Gutte and Juttye seem to be used for the wheelpit.
page 46 note 7 Crossed out in ms.
page 48 note 1 379/1 shows this to be Salehurst parsonage, and the payment to have been made by Christopher Symons.
page 49 note 2 Thomas Darell (379/1). For Darell's interests in ironworking see Schubert, History, pp. 370, 378Google Scholar; Straker, , pp. 268, 276.Google Scholar
page 49 note 3 The lordship of Playden (379/1).
page 50 note 4 This list is a condensed version of the entries in 379/1, some of whose items do not appear to be included in this summary. The latter obscures the small deliveries of iron to smiths: Kensham, for instance, took his 5 cwt in five separate lots of 1 cwt each.
page 50 note 5 Of Fynall (Vinehall); 379/1.
page 51 note 6 This appears to correspond with a payment in 379/1 by Mr. Oxenbrydge for 2 t. 13 cwt of cast iron at 4 marks per ton.
page 51 note 7 379/1 gives a chronological record of payments from January to March. The hammerman is identified as Bartholomew Collins, and the finers as Carde and Adryan; from the April payment Gwillam was the hammerman, with Carde remaining. Adryan is replaced by Roger Ellis and Alexander (?)Nyntam and his fellow. Identification is less thorough during the autumn, only the hammerman being named. It seems that at the forge, as at the furnaces, the Collins family got operations under way.
page 51 note 8 Alexander Collins was founder, apart from May and August, when Richard Baker appears in 379/1. Four men worked as fillers at various times during the year.
page 52 note 9 Six names appear in 379/1, including Roger Ellis (see note 7 above).
page 52 note 10 Four colliers appear in 379/1.
page 52 note 11 This is recorded in great detail in 379/1 and shows the use made of casual work, with one exception, Browning. During the year the following were employed:
John Allyn 48 days (autumn), John Stonestrete 20 days (May, October), Browning 140 days (throughout), William Stonestrete 20 days (May, October), John Jacob 2 days, Thomas Mannser 13 days (January, March) Christopher Symons 108 loads ore (June, July), John Role 2 days.
(The entries mix weeks and days: it is assumed for the above that six-day weeks were worked.)
page 52 note 12 379/1 words these items in great detail (fos 24r–25v); they include dressing bellows, repairs to wheels, bellows, dams, and the hammer, and new cole baskets.
page 52 note 13 379/1 gives the cost of lighterage on the Rother, and the details of arranging for delivery of iron at Rye.
page 54 note 14 Substituted for iiiixxxvii s x d.
page 55 note 15 Part of 373 (Furnace Book) is printed above [2].
page 56 note 16 373 gives an excellent impression of the seasonal pattern of woodcutting; whereas 12 men were paid in April and 14 in November, the numbers for July, August and September are 4, 4 and 5 respectively.
page 56 note 17 Although there are far fewer colliers than woodcutters, the seasonal pattern is again clear, with no payments from August to October (373).
page 56 note 18 373 shows searches for ore in May 1543, and purchases from Mr. Ashburnham's ground. However, mining was carried out in Hasilden wood consistently from March to December, 10 men being involved.
page 58 note 19 2 ‘Formoldes’ (379/1).
page 58 note 20 The items used in the forge and furnaces are recorded in detail in 379/1.
page 62 note 1 Based on 383/1.
page 62 note 2 The employment pattern is particularly fragmented. 37 individuals appear; 5 are mentioned on more than 8 of the 17 pay days, 22 on less than 3. The miners did much of the cutting from January to April, but did not resume in the autumn. There is the usual lack of cutting in the harvest period, only 1 man being paid in late August.
page 62 note 3 58 foundays and 1 day; 383/1 shows 57 foundays and 2 days; indicating that payments for making the hearth, dressing the bellows and repairing the furnace wall (133 in 383/1) have been included but not specified in the summary total.
page 62 note 4 Employment runs from March to October, all but 73 cords being made by two men, Duggyn and Geoffrey Totayn. Two others, Adryan and Joachym worked in April and May.
page 62 note 5 Within this are the purchase of 3 carts (9s each) and differing cartage rates: Panningridge: 4d/load, Elmswood 4½d, Hassilden 6d.
page 62 note 6 6 miners from May onwards, being paid 7½d each load.
page 62 note 7 Only one man, Thos. Smythe is recorded, being paid 1¼ per load, with an occasional and unexplained bonus of 12d a hundred.
page 62 note 8 John and William Stonestrete were well established here, supplemented on occasion by 3 other carters. The rate was 16d per load (2 sows).
page 62 note 9 Stated in 383/1 as 1959 loads at id each: an unexplained discrepancy.
page 62 note 10 Includes carrying cinder to repair the furnace wall.
page 62 note 11 This appears to have been a substantial repair, 2 men worked for 42 days (paid 17s 4d, with 12s 3d for their lodging paid to Atkins' wife). Piles and rails were cut for the bay(dam) by Sawyers paid is 4d a day, feeding themselves. There are further payments to labourers for hauling and ramming piles and clay.
page 67 note 1 1548 is a year for which several preliminary books survive. There is one, in 372A (B8/2), for the forge, which has a number of discrepancies from the final summary account, 377/6 (above). For the furnace, however, there are three. 372A (Bio/2) and 382/1 (Bio/3) take the usual form, the latter being rather more tidily laid out and closer in totals to the summary account. There is also 375(B2/1) which contains much less detail and adds nothing to the others.
page 68 note 2 This tallies exactly with 372A (B8/2), which while showing the usual pattern of small sales to smiths, also records, but does not value, larger consignments: 40 tons to Mr. Webb and 80 tons to Mr. Draper.
page 68 note 3 This corresponds with an entry in the Furnace Book, 372A (Bio/2), and relates to Letters Patent for John Margo.
page 69 note 4 The details in 372A (B8/2) are incomplete; work to the value of £66.16.8 is recorded.
page 69 note 5 Cutting had become concentrated among fewer men since the last surviving detailed record (1543): 17 men appear, 8 are paid on 5 or more out of 11 pay days, although 7 are only referred to once. No cutting was done in July, August or September.
page 69 note 6 4 burners are paid, the great bulk of work being done by only 2, Duggyn and Adryan.
page 69 note 7 372A (B8/1) gives particularly full details of repairs; although there was no major rebuilding there is an excellent picture of the constant repair needed by wheels, bellows, hearths and chimneys.
page 69 note 8 This is an amalgamation of sections in 372A (B8/1), covering lighterage, land carriage and weighing. There is a full list of carters (normal rate 2S per day), and details of the cost of lighterage to Rye (is 3d per ton).
page 70 note 9 Includes expenses of John Jackson riding to Buxted (furnace) to speak with Charles (Pulleyn), and to Charles' man for cost of coming to Roberts-bridge; also costs of measuring woodlands (Estons Wood and Kemehyd). Peter the Founder and Martin went to Birchenden (8d)—perhaps Birchenden Forge.
page 70 note 10 372A (Bio/2), is not a reliable source for this. It gives a total of £24 11s od but items which only add up to £15 3s od.
page 70 note 11 No coling was done in June, July or August. 338 of these loads were made by Duggyn: 5 other men did the rest; 3 of the latter were paid is 3d a load, as against 2s.
page 70 note 12 All by one man, Hawkins. Rates: Panningridge 4d, Tottersdown 4d and 4½d, Hasilden 6d.
page 70 note 13 Four miners (372A:Bio/2).
page 70 note 14 Entirely by Thos. Smyth (372A: Bio/2).
page 71 note 15 The rate of is 4d per load still applies. 3 carters were involved.
page 71 note 16 Bought from Mr. Burwell at 1¼d per load (372A: Bio/2).
page 71 note 17 Woodland rents were paid to Mr. Chancellor; pond rent to the vicar of Penhurst, the tithe to the vicar of Ashburnham. Wayleave for sow carriage was paid to Hawkins, James Ryve of Mountfield (who was one of the carriers of sow iron) and Longley.
page 71 note 18 This includes ‘felling, framing and setting up a new house for George Maryatt, my master's collier, 133 4d … for carriage of wood for this house, us 3d … thatching and daubing it, 11s 3d’. Also making a ‘bogge’ for the furnace; this may be a corruption of ‘bridge’.
page 76 note 1 This summary is based on 372A: B8/2, B8/3, between which there is little material difference.
page 76 note 2 The pattern differs little from previous years; out of 6 pay days 1 wood-cutter appears at all, 3 at 5, 2 at 4, 5 at 3, 6 at 2, and 2 at 1. There is the usual summer interval.
page 76 note 3 This includes expenses of riding to London after the forge was pulled down by rioters in June 1549. For local feeling against ironworks see H.M.C., Salisbury, xiii, p. 19.Google Scholar
page 76 note 4 The glazier from Battle provided 22 feet of new glass. Including fitting and metalwork this cost 4¼d per foot. (372A: B8/2).
page 77 note 5 There are 3 pages giving details of William Ovenden's making of brick and tiles in 372 A (B8/2).
page 77 note 6 382/2 (Bio/3) is a complete and informative furnace book; it is duplicated by another version, 383/2 (B11/2), which omits totals. 383/4 (B11/3) perhaps relates to 1549, for although most totals are different, those for mining and ore carriage fit 377/7.
page 77 note 7 The expansion of the area of wood supply becomes clear in 1549. In the spring large quantities came from Eston's Wood (see 1548). Hasilden was still in use, but in December Couper's Wood was largely used, with a new group of woodcutters, including a man named Couper. Small quantities came from Horaden Wood, The High Wood and Keentrethe. Panningridge Wood still appears throughout. No cutting was paid for between June 23rd and November 28th; the number of cutters mentioned is 54; the pattern of employment, between regular and occasional workers was comparable with earlier years.
page 78 note 8 Peter the Founder, for all smelting except 2 Foundays, ending June 11th, worked by Nicholas. Nicholas cast 1 ton of brandirons.
page 78 note 9 Two men only are mentioned.
page 78 note 10 Costs: Panningridge: 4d and 5½d; Hornden 6d; Hasilden 6d and 7d; Neston 9d per load. The last is the highest yet paid.
page 78 note 11 Cresse's land was increasingly in use, although ore still came from Panningridge. Two miners were employed. There is an entry in the furnace book for three men searching for ore.
page 78 note 12 Carriage: Panningridge 1½d, John Cresse's Wood 3d, Hasilden 4d.
page 78 note 13 The repair entries at the furnace are well detailed in 382/2. Charles, probably the Buxted founder, repaired the furnace wall, bellows and hearth; John Alye made the furnace wheel, a new penstock, and ‘pieced’ the floodgate; the furnace wall was repaired (23 man-days) in October, using clay and cinder.
page 79 note 14 The Panningridge ore carriage entry shows 264 loads (382/2).
page 82 note 1 There seems little doubt that this account relates to 1550. The entries, when totalled, do not correspond with the summary for 1549. This book must have been started on 1st January 1550.
page 86 note 2 Crossed out in ms.
page 86 note 3 Later insertions in a different hand.
page 87 note 4 Originally entered xviii0.
page 87 note 6 This is a later addition, for although in the same hand, it is inserted between lines and a different, fading, ink has been used.
page 88 note 6 Crossed out.
page 89 note 7 Crossed out in ms; the corrected entry is at the head of fo. 10r.
page 89 note 8 The incorrect xxxviii s ix d is again entered, but crossed out and replaced by xlvi s iii d.
page 89 note 9 Originally entered xvi s.
page 92 note 10 This should perhaps read xxxth.
page 95 note 11 ii s iiii d was entered originally, and crossed out.
page 95 note 12 Crossed out in the manuscript.
page 97 note 13 ‘Bridge’ is a possible meaning.
page 97 note 14 This could refer to a bearing for the main shaft driving the bellows.
page 97 note 15 cams (set in the wheel shaft to operate the bellows).
page 97 note 16 stirrups in the bellows mechanism.
page 98 note 1 There is a preponderance of old or fallen timber amongst these sales.
page 98 note 2 380/1 records the buyers of this iron, largely local smiths, although Draper the ironmonger took delivery of small lots during the summer.
page 99 note 3 An incomplete set of receipts appears in the Forge Book, 380/1: the tota there is £768 14s 11¼d.
page 99 note 4 The detailed record in 380/1 is less well laid out than in earlier books; the rates paid per load also vary more, with many lump payments for batches, working out between 3d and 3½d per cord. Many of the entries are undated, but of those that are, none were made between June 29th and September 28th.
page 99 note 5 380/1 contains a list of expenses incurred by Blacknall riding to Harting (Norfolk) and to London.
page 99 note 6 Much of this involved fencing off woodlands; in addition, a new hammer block was cut and shaped in Park Wood, it took 5 days work to cut and square, and 5 to install, agreeing well with the large size of block excavated at Chingley (see introduction, n. 17).
page 99 note 7 The tilers and thatchers did not do work connected with the forge: tilers were paid 5d per day with food in addition, thatchers 6d with food.
page 100 note 8 This includes the carriage of sows bought in. 380/1 contains an important confirmation of sows' weights; the 100 tons bought in comprised 193 sows, close to the 10 cwt used as a basis for reckoning in the 1560s.
page 100 note 9 There is a change of hammerman this year: 380/1 records Gwyllam up to March 28th, and John Collins thereafter.
page 100 note 10 380/1 records two colliers working in four woods, Welhead, Bishops Wood, Morgays Wood and Badland Wood. Both work through the year, including July and August.
page 100 note 11 Cressy is the only carrier (probably Cressy of Mountfield, owner of land where ore was mined for Panningridge in this period). The rates vary between Welhead, the nearest, at 3d/load and Andrews land, 10d.
page 100 note 12 380/1 makes it clear that there were two pairs of finery bellows.
page 100 note 13 Includes payment to Hogens in Panningridge, Cowpers and Glede Wood to see ‘how long it would serve my masters furnace’.
page 101 note 14 The furnace book hints that some attempt was being made to improve performance. In addition to Peter the Founder's pay of 6s per founday (6 days), up to the end of April Charles was paid 2s per founday; he relined the hearth and supervised repairs. He also took charge (at 8s per founday) during May. It seems from this account that early in the year he was being paid a retainer to be available. Despite this, no campaigns were lengthy (21 Feb.–10 April; 23 April–25 July; 26 Sept.–30 Nov.; 7 Dec.–?) and pig had to be bought in for the forge. Peter the founder was being paid the new high rate of 8s a founday after October. It is not clear if he or Charles was working in the summer. Peter gathered 2 tons of iron from among the cinders in June, suggesting that the break-out of molten iron was not uncommon.
page 101 note 15 The cost reaches a new maximum, of is 2d per load from Cowper's land; however charcoal was still coming from Panningridge Wood at 4d per load.
page 101 note 16 There were no major repairs; 382/3 (Bio/5) makes clear that such stone as was required came from a nearby quarry, at Penhurst. 380/1 (B8/4) refers to a tymp being sent to the furnace; this was of iron, not stone as may have been the practice at some early sites.
page 101 note 17 Francis Prior is described in 382/3 as a yeoman of Dagenham, Essex. A parcel of wood was bought, of unspecified acreage, ‘near’ Panningridge.
page 102 note 18 This unexpected item indicates a temporary inadequacy of the supply of pig from Panningridge. 380/1 (the Forge Book) shows that the 100 tons were brought from Westall's and Charles' furnace. The carriage rate, 20d. per ton, is no more than that from Panningridge to Robertsbridge; thus the source must be sought within a 6–8 mile radius of the latter. Charles, thought of as the founder at Buxted (some 15 miles distant) may thus have worked another furnace. Henry Westall, the former clerk at Robertsbridge, although still an estate official, must by 1551 have entered into a partnership with Charles. The references to Mr Draper, ironmonger, suggest a source of capital for this otherwise unknown combination.
page 102 note 19 380/1 (The Forge Book) includes the following entries, (i) on a loose sheet, (ii) in the sewn book;
(i) Md that ther dyd Remayne in my hands the xith day of July in Anno vto E viti of my masters money after the ratt of xii d to the shyllyng and iiiid the grott whych hath ben seen and tolde be ffore Wylliam Walter Clerk and John hawes ymmedyatly apon the first heryng of the proclamacyon for the alteryng of the sayd mony iiiixxli xviii s v d per me William blackinhall William walter dark John hawes
(ii) Md that ther dyd Remayne in my hands the xviith day of August in Anno vto E viti of my masters money after the ratt of ix d to the shyllyng and aid to the grott whych hath been seen and told beffore William walter John hawes noted that xlli thereof was Received at my Masters handes the xvth of August
For the background to the calling down of the currency see de Roover, R., Gresham on Foreign Exchange (Cambridge, Mass., 1949) pp. 56–59Google Scholar; Feaver-year, A.. The Pound Sterling (and edn., Oxford, 1963), pp. 64–71.Google Scholar
page 107 note 1 The expansion in wood sources continues; the Forge Book (380/2:68/5) shows work at 11 woods, compared with 8 in 1551. 46 men were employed, irregularity of employment being particularly marked.
page 107 note 2 John Collins was hammerman for the entire year.
page 107 note 3 Three colliers worked throughout the year.
page 107 note 4 Ranging from 3d (Welhed Wood) to 10d (Hollowall Wood).
page 108 note 5 The standard price was is 8d per ton (load).
page 108 note 6 This includes the cost of delivering 80 tons of iron to Xpofer Draper. It is not stated where, but as inclusion of transport charges in the heading is unusual, it must be presumed that delivery was made to a point other than Rye.
page 108 note 7 The first sheets of 382/4(B10/6), are damaged; nevertheless it appears that 16 cutters worked in three woods (perhaps four, for Panningridge may be included in the damaged section). No payments are recorded between July 14th and September 19th. There is rather less contrast between regular and occasional workers than in the late 1540s: out of 11 pay days only 2 men appear in as many as 6 and one in 5.
page 108 note 8 By two colliers working throughout the year.
page 108 note 9 Costs range between 4d and 7d per load.
page 109 note 10 Wayleave payments for pig iron include one to Thomas Hawkins, the major carrier of charcoal and ore; he would thus appear to be a farmer in the Netherfield or Mountfield area.
page 109 note 11 The founder's name is Warnett, but Charles still repaired the hearth.
page 109 note 12 The Panningridge rent was paid to Sir John Baker.
page 109 note 13 382/4 makes it clear that the smith at Dallington (3 miles west of the furnace) was carrying out repairs to metalwork ‘pipes and thin iron stuff’. The furnace seems to have required a good deal of work, including digging 3 loads of stone ‘to make the fore part of the furnace which was fallen down”.
page 110 note 14 There is no account to correspond with this heading.
page 112 note 1 The Forge Book for 1554 is 382/9(B8/6), wrongly labelled in pencil as a Furnace Book, perhaps during the preparation of the H.M.C. Calendar.
page 113 note 2 A number of trees were sold, illustrating the complementary nature of cutting for charcoal, which ideally used small wood, and for large timber. John Pellyng of Horstmonses (sic), carpenter, was one purchaser; in this case there is a note: ‘and the said oak would not serve for his purpose and there remaineth (in Timberwood) which should have been for the spindle of a windmill’.
page 113 note 3 Two colliers, working through the year, with a single appearance of a third in July.
page 113 note 4 Cressy is again the carrier; costs range from 3d to 9d.
page 113 note 5 John Collins: hammerman.
page 113 note 6 A notable variety of carriers: nine men in all.
page 114 note 7 Including new hursts for the hammer; one was brought from Hodesdale Forge and three from Mr. Weekes of Battle at Darvel Furnace.
page 114 note 8 There are two draft Furnace Books, 382/5 (B10/7) and 383/5 (611/4).
page 114 note 9 Thirty-three woodcutters are mentioned: a great increase over the previous year; eight of these were paid only on June 22nd, suggesting a sudden shortage of wood stocks for the colliers. No payments were made between July 12th and October 26th. Panningridge Wood was definitely out of use, although Hasilden remained among the four referred to.
page 114 note 10 The furnace was less used in 1554; after a long campaign which appears to have run from October 23rd, 1553 until February 12th, there was only a short blow (from about February 12th until March 31st) before a break until October 6th. Warnett was then replaced as founder by Peter, whose campaign ran until March 3rd. The very rapid re-start in February 1554 is of interest: Charles certainly did the relining, but the Furnace Book suggests this was done in a day or so.
page 114 note 11 This includes payment for fetching the weight from Mr. Ashburnham's furnace to weigh a sow. This is the first reference to this site, downstream from Panningridge.
page 114 note 12 Neston's Wood, 9½ acres.
page 115 note 13 Three hundred loads at id; 823 at 1½d.
page 115 note 14 This includes a reference to the building of a new furnace wheel (21s) by Roger Baker in contrast to the usual patching.
page 115 note 15 The dispersal of ore mining led to a larger labour force; six miners are named.
page 115 note 16 The Forge Book shows two colliers.
page 115 note 17 These range from 6d (Hasilden) to 12d (Glyde Wood).
page 115 note 18 Addition in left hand margin.
page 116 note 19 In margin: ‘note that George Covyld did pay for this iron in anno sequente.’
page 119 note 1 Crossed out in the original.
page 120 note 2 Crossed out in the original.
page 120 note 3 iiiic xvi li xii s (or xv s) i d ob q crossed out.
page 120 note 4 CCClvi li xiii s ii d crossed out.
page 121 note 5 Crossed out.
page 122 note 6 The complete entry crossed out.
page 125 note 7 Note in left hand margin: ‘This is parcell of the iiixx tonnes of yeren sole be my master at viii li the ton’.
page 126 note 8 Crossed out in the original.
page 127 note 9 Crossed out in the original.
page 127 note 10 In a different hand.
page 131 note 11 xviii s iiii d crossed out.
page 133 note 12 xiii di crossed out in the original.
page 134 note 13 Originally iii li xvii s vid in each case.
page 135 note 14 delyvered iii great blomes to be leed under the an vyldwayeng—on honderd (crossed out in the original).
page 137 note 15 Originally xiii xv s viii d.
page 140 note 16 Originally viii li iii s for viixx iii lodes.
page 143 note 17 Originally xxix … September.
page 144 note 18 The succeeding entries are identical in wording.
page 146 note 19 hurst
page 150 note 20 Originally at xvi d: total vs iiii d.
page 152 note 21 A much amended entry; originally it appears to have been worded ‘the roffe by the olde halle …’ and the weight xliii pounds, with a total of viis ii d.
page 152 note 22 An earlier total is illegible.
page 153 note 23 A similar flanders pot entry has been crossed out at the head of 73v
page 153 note 24 25 These entries appear in the left hand margin.
page 154 note 26 Reffe was originally entered.
page 154 note 27 Entire entry crossed out.
page 156 note 28 Wrotham.
page 158 note 29 Note in left hand margin.
page 160 note 30 normans medow crossed out in the original.
page 164 note 1 In Glyde Wood and Snowe's Land, cut by two men only (382/6: B10/8).
page 164 note 2 Some charcoal came from ‘Mr. Ashburnham's land’ despite the existence of his own furnace.
page 164 note 3 The furnace was little used in 1555. The previous year's campaign ended on March 3rd. Charles Pulleyn was paid on April 17th for re-building the hearth and casting 6 hammers and 3 anvils, but full working only began about October ist, running until April 18th, although a new hearth was built on December 26th.
page 164 note 4 Pits on 'snowe's land’ were used, and Walter Snowe undertook the carriage ‘from his own wood’.
page 164 note 5 There seems to have been flood damage in the autumn: the Furnace Book has payments for the purchase of 800 bricks to repair the furnace walls, carriage of cinder, and of stone from Penhurst Quarry for the same purpose. A new charging bridge was built, the penthouse over the furnace re-boarded, and the floodgates repaired: the cause is indicated by a payment ‘clensing and making clene of the Furnace by the reason of the flood’.
page 168 note 1 This total is made up of sales to smiths from surrounding villages, although Gebens, of Rye, who took 6½ tons, seems to have been working on a larger scale. Deliveries of larger quantities to Edmund Roberts of Hawkhurst and Mr. Clerk, ironmonger of London, are listed, but payment for these would go straight to the Receiver. (381/2: B8/8.)
page 169 note 2 The woodcutting entries in the Forge Book (381/2) are of interest in that they show concentration, probably 3 woods, and a long period when no payments were made (May 6th-December 19th); there is no sign of a backlog of payments on the latter date. The make-up of the labour force differs little from earlier years.
page 169 note 3 John Collins operated the hammer throughout.
page 169 note 4 Charcoal burning was done over a short season in 1556; payments run from May 16th to September 13th.
page 169 note 5 In 381/2 (B8/8) the rates were: Parke Wood 4d, Great Morgay gd, Stockwood is per load.
page 169 note 6 It is clear from 381/2 that this includes Edmund Roberts' purchases, which were carried by lighter to Rye.
page 169 note 7 References in 381/2 suggest considerable replacement of timber structures at the forge, with the dismantling in September of the hammer beam and wheel and the chafery wheel and ‘much other work’, occupying 20 man-days. The carpenters' accounts contain further references to this work: 2 carpenters spent 15 days each setting up new timbers.
page 170 note 8 Repairs to the Great Bay(dam) in July took 71 man-days.
page 170 note 9 Five colliers are recorded in 382/7 (B10/9), none working consistently over the year, probably a reflection of a widening local demand for charcoal with the construction of Ashburnham furnace, which was first mentioned in 1555.
page 170 note 10 The carriage entries also suggest the need to take up any available supply, for charcoal was brought from 8 woods, more than in any other year, and the highest charge yet (1s 2d) is recorded.
page 170 note 11 The furnace was again under-used, being blown out on April 18th, not to work again until December 6th.
page 174 note 1 This account is in a hand not previously seen.
page 175 note 2 No Forge Book survives.
page 176 note 3 Vault.
page 177 note 4 The Furnace Book (382/8: B10/10) gives an incomplete record, ending with payments on May 24th, for a total of 1708 cords.
page 177 note 5 382/8 records 370 loads bought from Mr. Egleston of Nenvyld (Ninfield).
page 177 note 6 On Snowe's land only.
page 177 note 7 This entry relates to carriage, done largely by Walter Snowe.
page 177 note 8 The furnace was in blast at the end of 1557, for which records are lost; it was blown out on April 6th 1558, after casting plates for the forge (probably to line a hearth). Work began again on July 1st, but the furnace was stopped on the 9th for repairs, requiring Charles the founder, who made a new ‘bottews’. Apart from a break from October 5th–18th, when no relining was done, smelting continued between August 10th and the end of the year.
382/8 later confirms that the scarcely legible ‘bottews’ or buttress was in fact the pillar of the furnace, the stonework separating the casting and blowing arches: 6 loads of stone were dug in Panningridge wood for the ‘pillar’ of the furnace. The source of stone for the hearth is identified as Mr. Barnwell's quarry. Barnwell was vicar of Penhurst.
page 177 note 8 The item for grease should read vis xd.
page 182 note 1 ms is very faint; there appears to be a missing figure.
page 183 note 2 The Andrewes and Parkwood entries are later insertions.
page 183 note 3 The Parkewood and Cottrell entries are later insertions.
page 184 note 4 Inserted in ms.
page 186 note 5 Indecipherable in ms: calculated from next entry.
page 190 note 1 The accounts from 1568 onwards are in a different hand from their predecessors.
page 192 note 2 This is scarcely legible and appears to have been substituted for Cvii.
page 193 note 3 ‘And helves’ crossed out in the original.
page 193 note 4 Originally written xxvi li xii s ii d.
page 193 note 5 Crossed out.
page 193 note 6 Originally written iiii li xis vid.
page 194 note 7 Originally written viC.
page 194 note 8 Originally ixC.
page 194 note 9 iii qters di crossed out.
page 195 note 10 xlii loads crossed out.
page 195 note 11 Inserted.
page 198 note 1 Gap left in ms.
page 198 note 2 This note appears in the margin.
page 200 note 3 Inserted.
page 201 note 4 Different hand.
page 201 note 5 In the same hand as in n. 4; written in the margin.
page 201 note 6 In the same hand as in n. 4; written in the margin.
page 202 note 7 Originally written xvs v d.
page 203 note 8 This first entry conflicts with 149 (U 1475 A4/4), the Receiver's Account, which shows 20 tons sold for £190.
page 204 note 9 In Sir Henry Sidney's hand.
page 205 note 1 This account is in poor condition. The ink has soaked into the paper making entries on the reverse difficult to read, particularly on the upper half of the page. There is also damage to the bottom corners of pages, and the microfilm available in the Library of Congress shows that some deterioration must have taken place since 1942, when the record was made.
page 206 note 2 The totals are also written in the left margin, several are illegible or damaged.
page 213 note 3 Replaces me.
page 230 note 1 The ms is faded.
page 234 note 1 There is no obvious explanation for this date. See also 387 (p. 240, below).
page 234 note 2 The word wages has been crossed out.
page 240 note 3 Originally xxxiii li xiii s ii d.
page 240 note 4 This date appears in 386.
page 245 note 1 This heading is set across the top of facing pages, which are damaged at the spine.