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Fountains Abbey: History
Fountains Abbey: Buildings
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Feeding the flames (31/33)
The production of iron required high temperatures and a reducing environment. The high calorific value and low ash content of charcoal made it ideal for burning, but considerable quantities were required to fuel the iron forges. The vast amount of charcoal needed by Fountains concerned the magnate, John de Mowbray, who feared that by stripping the woodland of shelter for the wild animals, the monks would compromise his hunting. John’s concerns gave rise to an agreement in 1309. This stated that the community might have only one forge in Nidderdale, in addition to the forge at Dacre, it stipulated that the monks might make as much charcoal as they wished between 29th September and Easter, but at no other time, and that they might only do so in the woodlands on their Nidderdale estates. Other terms of the agreement shed light on the nature of iron smelting, and reveal that this additional forge might have two furnaces and be moved around, so that the monks could make iron in the most convenient spots.(139)
Current research
conducted by the Department of Archaeological Sciences at the University
of Bradford, is investigating and evaluating
the importance of iron to the Rievaulx community and the effect
of the monks’ industry on the landscape. |
