Another thing that I like about Devon and Cornwall is the rich variety of National Trust experiences. There are the usual grand houses, but what I really like are the oddities like Finch Foundry, which we visited a few days ago. It's located in a tiny village on the northern edge of Dartmoor called Sticklepath not far from Oakhampton - about 6km apart.
It's a relic of 19th century industrialisation which specialised in making tools for mainly agricultural use over the whole of SW Britain. At its peak production in the late 19th century it was turning out 400 such 'edge' tools in a day, but production ceased in c. 1960 after cheaper competitors emerged and a by-pass was constructed around the village removing casual tourists. The energy used in tool production comprised fire for producing metals and making them pliant - the forge - and water power used for hammering metals into shape.
The great thing about the visit was that we saw both elements in tool production at work and, indeed, one artisan was still producing metal artefacts for sale using old methods. Indeed, I bought a rather nice bottle-opener for myself. The guide we had was excellent and really made the production processes come alive! Once again, the pictures hep tell this story:
The last pictures shows the resting place of one John Pearce, who worked at the forge. This is the same John Pearce who features in a famous, but rather long, poem I learned at school:
Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare.
All along, down along, out along lea.
For I want for to go to Widecombe Fair,
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan'l Whiddon, Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Suffice to say that the poor animal didn't make it back. I rather like the conjunction of the forge operations and wider local culture / history.
If you ever travel close to Sticklepath, look in and see for yourselves.
AS
It's a relic of 19th century industrialisation which specialised in making tools for mainly agricultural use over the whole of SW Britain. At its peak production in the late 19th century it was turning out 400 such 'edge' tools in a day, but production ceased in c. 1960 after cheaper competitors emerged and a by-pass was constructed around the village removing casual tourists. The energy used in tool production comprised fire for producing metals and making them pliant - the forge - and water power used for hammering metals into shape.
The great thing about the visit was that we saw both elements in tool production at work and, indeed, one artisan was still producing metal artefacts for sale using old methods. Indeed, I bought a rather nice bottle-opener for myself. The guide we had was excellent and really made the production processes come alive! Once again, the pictures hep tell this story:
The last pictures shows the resting place of one John Pearce, who worked at the forge. This is the same John Pearce who features in a famous, but rather long, poem I learned at school:
Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare.
All along, down along, out along lea.
For I want for to go to Widecombe Fair,
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan'l Whiddon, Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Suffice to say that the poor animal didn't make it back. I rather like the conjunction of the forge operations and wider local culture / history.
If you ever travel close to Sticklepath, look in and see for yourselves.
AS
1 comment:
Will do :-)
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