The discussion on the effects of charcoal burning has also been running on
the British Archaeology llist <[log in to unmask]> and members might
like to check their message archive at
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/britarch.html
I've posted one of the responses below which introduces archaeological
evidence countering claims that the iron industry was responsible for
deforestation in Sussex. Economic historians have continued to debate the
role of fuel supplies in the development of the iron industry, and vice
versa, since Hammersley (Econ Hist Rev 2nd ser., 26 (1973), 593-613) first
suggested that the fuel shortage had been overstated and did not hold back
the development of the industry. However, since 1973 and particularly in
recent years, archaeological research has advanced our knowledge on the
spread of the iron industry throughout England and Wales. Look at any of
the published work on the history of iron working and it concentrates on the
large scale production areas, the Weald, Forest of Dean, etc., with no
mention of the south-west of England. Now evidence for significant iron
mining and smelting on the Blackdown Hills in East Devon, from the Roman
period to the 15th century, has been identified by archaeological means
alone and similar evidence for Exmoor and its borders has strengthened that
already gleaned from the documentary record.
This is one area where co-operation between historians and archaeologists
can be particularly beneficial. Work undertaken on and around Exmoor, and
shortly to be extended through funding by English Heritage, is already
advancing our understanding of iron mining, smelting, its organisation and
its demands on the available fuel resources.
Peter
>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 13:13:56 +0000
>From: John Mills <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Charcoal
>
>In addition to Jamie Brothers' useful bibliography, there is also:
>
>Evans, Andrew Timothy: "Pollen studies on recent sediments in the western
>weald", PhD Thesis, Kings College, London, 1991.
>
>(Palynological investigation of various sediments with particular reference to
>the effects on the post-medieval iron industry on the woodland of the region.
>Main conclusion: rather than causing large-scale deforestation in the
region, in
>the majority of the sites studied, the iron industry had relatively little
>impact on the local woodland.)
>
>John Mills, Archaeologist
>West Sussex County Council- County Planning
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
______________________________________________
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Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
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University of Exeter - Department of History
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