Re query on Alum Wells
Alum was a term used to describe a range of minerals in water including
magnesiium sulphate (Epsom Salts) before the science of chemistry was
perfected. It was mined at such places as Alum Bay in the Isle of Wight and
was "nationalised" by Elizabeth I who was concerned about the Turkish world
monopoly of supply in the hands of the Pope.
A good book is "The Alum Farm" by R B Turton (1938)
Hope this helps - I have a chapter on Alums in the forthcoming book about
Epsom Wells.
Bruce
>From: Katy Jordan <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [Fwd: Oakengates Web]
>Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 11:57:11 +0100
>
>Here's an enquiry about alum wells near Shrewsbury which I suspect
>someone on the list may be able to help with. I've found a page about
>alum as used in paper-making at http://171.64.128.118/don/dt/dt0090.html
>and there are various alum wells in the USA - but I can find nothing
>about alum wells in the UK.
>
>Please make sure you copy any replies to [log in to unmask] as Tim
>Hughes is not a member of the list.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Katy
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: Oakengates Web
> Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 22:30:26 -0700
> From: mail <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Dear Chaps
>
>A friend of mine has found the following quote:
>
>"Oakengates, four miles east of Wellington, was in Medieval days famous
>for wells dedicated to Mammon - alum wells, whose products were much
>sought after for the Shrewsbury wool trade. At one time alum production
>was a papal monopoly, pure alum could only be produced by papal agents
>and the Holy See derived a large part of its income from this. It could
>well be that well-water, which happened to contain alum, was not
>affected by this rule: which would have made the Oakengates wells of
>particular interest.
>
>I run the Oakengates website, www.oakengates.com, and am always looking
>for more local history. I would be extremely grateful if you could tell
>me how I might expand on the above. The site of the town well is known ,
>and today is the site for the yearly Christmas tree.
>
>Best wishes
>
>Tim Hughes
>
>Coordinator
>
>Oakengates Internet Project
>
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