-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team -
HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
we are now using a backup solution
Aston Furnace Location
- Thread starter loisand
- Start date
gingerjon
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
gingerjon
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
Loisand I have take this extract from the Ralph Martindale story (Crocodile Works Alma street) this factory took up the first few hundred yards of Alma street which would have meant the Brook ran through his factory what we need is a map of the circa Chavasse sole the busines to Martindale
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
Yet another fascinating story. As a kid I was taken by the name 'Crocodile Works', and could never understand how a factory could get a name like that. (I didn't know then that they started there making swords, but that wouldn't solve my problem anyway).
Presumably they would have used water power both to blow a bellows to get a good heat in the furnace, and also to grind the sword blades.
Looking at the few old small scale maps I have, it seems that before about 1860, Aston/Hockley Brook ran in duplicate for most of the way between Hockley and the 'official' Aston Mill, not far from Miller Street tram sheds. The main stream ran to the south, while what appears to have been a mill race with pond ran parallel, a hundred yards or so to the north. When the land was sold for house-building, it seems that the mill stream and associated pond were filled in, and the main brook was culverted from Wellesley Street to Lennox Street. It then ran in the open, under Guildford Street, Porchester Street, Alma Street [and Martindale's factory], Aston High Street, Elkington Street and Lichfield Road, after which it was diverted when Windsor Street gas works were built, to do two right-angle turns before passing under Chester Street and the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, after which it turned left and flowed parallel with the canal to meet the Tame near Salford Bridge.
Looking at these old documents, I can't help agreeing to what John said a month or two ago, that you can't believe everything that's written down. I think you can go further and not believe the old maps either.
Peter
Presumably they would have used water power both to blow a bellows to get a good heat in the furnace, and also to grind the sword blades.
Looking at the few old small scale maps I have, it seems that before about 1860, Aston/Hockley Brook ran in duplicate for most of the way between Hockley and the 'official' Aston Mill, not far from Miller Street tram sheds. The main stream ran to the south, while what appears to have been a mill race with pond ran parallel, a hundred yards or so to the north. When the land was sold for house-building, it seems that the mill stream and associated pond were filled in, and the main brook was culverted from Wellesley Street to Lennox Street. It then ran in the open, under Guildford Street, Porchester Street, Alma Street [and Martindale's factory], Aston High Street, Elkington Street and Lichfield Road, after which it was diverted when Windsor Street gas works were built, to do two right-angle turns before passing under Chester Street and the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, after which it turned left and flowed parallel with the canal to meet the Tame near Salford Bridge.
Looking at these old documents, I can't help agreeing to what John said a month or two ago, that you can't believe everything that's written down. I think you can go further and not believe the old maps either.
Peter
Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
More information here:
https://www.astonbrook-through-astonmanor.co.uk/id157.htm
https://www.astonbrook-through-astonmanor.co.uk/id157.htm
Thanks Michael, have downloaded that bit of info, along with the maps from above. According to the info I already have : 1783 furnace blown out, 19th century Aston Furnace became a paper mill, worked by steam, 1845 became a wire mill. 1865 premises moved to Alma Street and became Aston Furnace Mills. This one is certainly a central library job. Once again thanks to all concerned on the help you are giving.
Last edited by a moderator:
O
O.C.
Guest
Aston Furnace stood on the corner of Furnace Lane and Porchester Street....in was never a mill but used to work the furnace with the water from Hockley Brook
I spent some time looking at this thread and came to the conclusion that the mill pond was in the area bounded by Burlington Street, Webster street and Parliament Street on the 1890 map reference. If you look at the shape of these roads they may have been routed originally to go around a pond. At the bottom right there seems to be what may have been a filled in stream leading down away to the right. If you follow this down it leads to Aston Brook Flour Mills underground at this point. Below all of this is Phillips Road which runs above Hockley Brook and below Aston Brook.
The GE ref shows the area today and one of the roads there now is called Bourne Mill Drive. Does this indicate that there was a mill there, maybe the one on Johns old map. Off to the left of all of this is the Alma Street Works and Furnace Lane where according to Mike Ingram’s ref. there was a blast furnace originally forced by a water wheel and then a Newcomen engine. Hockley Brook ran through this site as Cromwell said.
So was the pond on Johns old map fed by Aston Brook and was that mill called Bourne Mill and have I got the location right. The old map is not to any scale I think but some features tie in.
If you look at the larger scale GE you will see what looks like a waterwheel of paths with a centre hub that seems to make up a childrens play ground. Surely this is no accident and someone knowing the history of the terain has planned it. There looks like a pond there that is for all the world symbolising a tun. Anyone know anything about it?
The GE ref shows the area today and one of the roads there now is called Bourne Mill Drive. Does this indicate that there was a mill there, maybe the one on Johns old map. Off to the left of all of this is the Alma Street Works and Furnace Lane where according to Mike Ingram’s ref. there was a blast furnace originally forced by a water wheel and then a Newcomen engine. Hockley Brook ran through this site as Cromwell said.
So was the pond on Johns old map fed by Aston Brook and was that mill called Bourne Mill and have I got the location right. The old map is not to any scale I think but some features tie in.
If you look at the larger scale GE you will see what looks like a waterwheel of paths with a centre hub that seems to make up a childrens play ground. Surely this is no accident and someone knowing the history of the terain has planned it. There looks like a pond there that is for all the world symbolising a tun. Anyone know anything about it?
Last edited by a moderator:
O
O.C.
Guest
Aston Furnace (the one in Furnace Lane)Closed in 1865, it was never a mill it was first noted in 1615 it was associated with William Cowper (or Cooper) and thats why Cowper St is so called ......the Jenners Family used it in connection with Bromford Forge
I think the mill pond marked on Johns old map was known at one time as Potters Mill. There is an old map posted on The Mills of Birmingham #14 that shows it and a grouping of buildings that look fairly similar. This may have been fed by Aston Brook which may originally have been a leat from the main stream known as Hockley Brook. From Potters Mill the tailrace seems to have gone down to feed another pool that may have been for Aston Brook Flour Mill. The original leat (Aston Brook) may have been used to feed a paper mill and the Furnace bellows mechanism.
Upstream from Potters mill pool, tappings seem to have been taken off to feed various pools on the way to Aston Hall and thence to the Tame. These may have been to provide water for cattle, decorative, mill ponds, maybe moats for fine houses. Moats, it seems were a status symbol at one time. Bourne seems to be an ancient name. The 1890 Ordnance Survey has 'Aston Brook Flour Mill' written on it and it seems to be in a logical position downstream from what may have been Potters Mill.
I have questions though :
1. Why did the brook divide up into two:Hockley and Aston. This seems strange unless forced by the construction of a leat to maintain head.
2. If Aston Brook was a man made leat, why do some of the old maps show so much meandering?
Bear in mind that the old maps are very approximate, by guess and by god. They do help though when used with the Early Survey map but some interpretation is required. There is so much to look at now. Perhaps we need a time line to get the ponds in line.
Phillips Street... hmmm.
Upstream from Potters mill pool, tappings seem to have been taken off to feed various pools on the way to Aston Hall and thence to the Tame. These may have been to provide water for cattle, decorative, mill ponds, maybe moats for fine houses. Moats, it seems were a status symbol at one time. Bourne seems to be an ancient name. The 1890 Ordnance Survey has 'Aston Brook Flour Mill' written on it and it seems to be in a logical position downstream from what may have been Potters Mill.
I have questions though :
1. Why did the brook divide up into two:Hockley and Aston. This seems strange unless forced by the construction of a leat to maintain head.
2. If Aston Brook was a man made leat, why do some of the old maps show so much meandering?
Bear in mind that the old maps are very approximate, by guess and by god. They do help though when used with the Early Survey map but some interpretation is required. There is so much to look at now. Perhaps we need a time line to get the ponds in line.
Phillips Street... hmmm.
Last edited:
R
Rod
Guest
Mills And Things
Astonbrook and Hockley Brook are one and the same surely........ Just called by two different names Dependant on where you live.
Phillips Street, not Road.
The name Phillips refers to one of the various owners of the Aston Mill originally a Fulling Mill. The Leet as far as I understand ran parallel to Aston Brook
Astonbrook and Hockley Brook are one and the same surely........ Just called by two different names Dependant on where you live.
Phillips Street, not Road.
The name Phillips refers to one of the various owners of the Aston Mill originally a Fulling Mill. The Leet as far as I understand ran parallel to Aston Brook
This is a complex business. I modified Phillips Street which has sat there through much of this. The area has been raked over several times now. I still think that there may have been a pool just upstream from the squareish one that became Aston Brook Flour Mills pond. I have seen Potters mill mentioned on one map. Cromwell seems to have got most of it earlier. The stream changed configuration many times as the need required. It seems that Aston Furnace was just west of furnace lane and the Alma Street Works, with a leat feeding a pond that drove the bellows. Or was that the original run of the stream, which was dammed to form a pool and sluiced then to the Manor. Aston Brook is shown running down through the Manor Grounds. Was this the original natural route, feeding various ponds and thence to the Tame. Perhaps Hockley Brook is the man made version.
Last edited:
gingerjon
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
view brook 1839
this map gives you a better overall picture of the brook
it was Potters Hill not mill
were it says Manor of Aston look directly under the a in Aston that is Park Lane as we know it, it was Park Wall road, the triangle below the A is High Street to the left and Potters Hill to the right, this was before Alman street was built
(SUBSTITUTE)
this map gives you a better overall picture of the brook
it was Potters Hill not mill
were it says Manor of Aston look directly under the a in Aston that is Park Lane as we know it, it was Park Wall road, the triangle below the A is High Street to the left and Potters Hill to the right, this was before Alman street was built
(SUBSTITUTE)
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator:
R
Rod
Guest
Hills
The land to the north of Phillips Street climbed quite steeply, as you head west along Phillips street then make a right turning north into Telford Street then left turning back west into Lower Webster Street this almost follows the low points at the base of the hill. This I think might have been the run of the Mill Leat.
The Flour Mill was surrounded on three sides by streets Thomas St to the eastern side,Pool Street on it's northern side, and Phillips Street on it's southern side.
The land to the north of Phillips Street climbed quite steeply, as you head west along Phillips street then make a right turning north into Telford Street then left turning back west into Lower Webster Street this almost follows the low points at the base of the hill. This I think might have been the run of the Mill Leat.
The Flour Mill was surrounded on three sides by streets Thomas St to the eastern side,Pool Street on it's northern side, and Phillips Street on it's southern side.
Last edited by a moderator:
gingerjon
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
another map of the brook
this one is medieval and shows the brook splitting in the region of Farm street Hockley end and converging at Aston Road between Phillip street and Aston Brook street
the brook is called Bourne at this time
(SUBSTITUTE)
this one is medieval and shows the brook splitting in the region of Farm street Hockley end and converging at Aston Road between Phillip street and Aston Brook street
the brook is called Bourne at this time
(SUBSTITUTE)
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator:
This all refers to the 1890 Ordenance Survey.
Refering to old Aston Furnace. Several maps show it as being fed by a leat from Hockley Brook. Two or three maps show a pool below this which may have been where Innerman Street was. At this point I am not sure what this fed. Gone round in circles so many times beginning to start to dissapear. Anyway I believe that the drain from this pool ran down to Aston Brook Flour Mill. It would have crossed New Town Row and run between Webster Street and Burlington Street hugging the high ground to maintain an elevation of 350' plus as much as possible. I think that the Inkerman pool would have had an elevation of 360' plus or minus
Got a thunder storm going so will get back...
Ok it's over. Anyway, as stated, what the pool at or around Inkerman was for is not known but I have seen paper mills mentioned. Anyway loosing some head at that point the stream would have followed the elevation that would have required the least work to form a channel. Possibly through Potters farm and maintaining elevation on the way to Aston Brook Flour Mill pond. It might well have had a elevation of 350' minus at that point. The pool would have been skirted by a ground rise in the east and what looks like an embankment on west side above Hockley Brook. On the map Upper Webster Street and Wilkinson Street may well have been the eastern bank coming to a point with the western embankment at Upper Webster. The leat would have crossed Upper Webster at that point I think, it may have needed banking up for the last bit of it's run. Originally of course the roads would not have been there except Phillips Street maybe. Phillips Street next to Hockley Brook seems to have an elevation of about 338 feet at the Mill, so say Hockley Brook was about 10' below, this would have given the mill wheel a head of about 22 feet over Hockley Brook. A pretty decent amount. The water from there went back into the main stream Hockley Brook right at the mill. I have seen this on one map although a 1758 map shows the two streams continuing on to Thimble Mill Lane, a good distance, before joining again.
So I surmise that what we are looking at is a long man made leat that started way back and hugged the rise that was on its northern and laterly eastern banks. The reason for it's meanderings is that it followed conveniently elevated terain requireing less banking up. If the Shire Brook running down through Aston Manor was not known as Aston Brook then this leat may well have been called such. It was long enough to be visualised as more than a leat and may have needed to be called by a name to be mentioned in legal agreements as to the use of water. The original Bourn Brook became known as Hockley Brook and was the water source.
I become confused sometimes. We know that water naturally runs down due to gravity but the idea of a leat is to keep the water elevated so that it can drop over a wheel. The bigger the drop the better. The leat would have a very shallow slope (you can get a lot of water down a 1 degree slope due to gravity) so that over distance the elevation of the water in the leat becomes higher versus the water in the stream which runs down a greater slope. This gives the head difference at the water wheel which then discharges into the tailrace which is then at the elevation of the stream at that point. The bottom of the waterwheel must be clear of the surface of the tailrace. This leat was long and had enough elevation to fulfill several uses before re-entering the stream. It's all gone now but probably the most interesting we have looked at. You can see much by reading the elevations on the old survey map and following the run of the brook, mostly underground. GE elevations also confirm within reason.
Hope this helps. It is put forward only as a personal study and is not conclusive.
Refering to old Aston Furnace. Several maps show it as being fed by a leat from Hockley Brook. Two or three maps show a pool below this which may have been where Innerman Street was. At this point I am not sure what this fed. Gone round in circles so many times beginning to start to dissapear. Anyway I believe that the drain from this pool ran down to Aston Brook Flour Mill. It would have crossed New Town Row and run between Webster Street and Burlington Street hugging the high ground to maintain an elevation of 350' plus as much as possible. I think that the Inkerman pool would have had an elevation of 360' plus or minus
Got a thunder storm going so will get back...
Ok it's over. Anyway, as stated, what the pool at or around Inkerman was for is not known but I have seen paper mills mentioned. Anyway loosing some head at that point the stream would have followed the elevation that would have required the least work to form a channel. Possibly through Potters farm and maintaining elevation on the way to Aston Brook Flour Mill pond. It might well have had a elevation of 350' minus at that point. The pool would have been skirted by a ground rise in the east and what looks like an embankment on west side above Hockley Brook. On the map Upper Webster Street and Wilkinson Street may well have been the eastern bank coming to a point with the western embankment at Upper Webster. The leat would have crossed Upper Webster at that point I think, it may have needed banking up for the last bit of it's run. Originally of course the roads would not have been there except Phillips Street maybe. Phillips Street next to Hockley Brook seems to have an elevation of about 338 feet at the Mill, so say Hockley Brook was about 10' below, this would have given the mill wheel a head of about 22 feet over Hockley Brook. A pretty decent amount. The water from there went back into the main stream Hockley Brook right at the mill. I have seen this on one map although a 1758 map shows the two streams continuing on to Thimble Mill Lane, a good distance, before joining again.
So I surmise that what we are looking at is a long man made leat that started way back and hugged the rise that was on its northern and laterly eastern banks. The reason for it's meanderings is that it followed conveniently elevated terain requireing less banking up. If the Shire Brook running down through Aston Manor was not known as Aston Brook then this leat may well have been called such. It was long enough to be visualised as more than a leat and may have needed to be called by a name to be mentioned in legal agreements as to the use of water. The original Bourn Brook became known as Hockley Brook and was the water source.
I become confused sometimes. We know that water naturally runs down due to gravity but the idea of a leat is to keep the water elevated so that it can drop over a wheel. The bigger the drop the better. The leat would have a very shallow slope (you can get a lot of water down a 1 degree slope due to gravity) so that over distance the elevation of the water in the leat becomes higher versus the water in the stream which runs down a greater slope. This gives the head difference at the water wheel which then discharges into the tailrace which is then at the elevation of the stream at that point. The bottom of the waterwheel must be clear of the surface of the tailrace. This leat was long and had enough elevation to fulfill several uses before re-entering the stream. It's all gone now but probably the most interesting we have looked at. You can see much by reading the elevations on the old survey map and following the run of the brook, mostly underground. GE elevations also confirm within reason.
Hope this helps. It is put forward only as a personal study and is not conclusive.
Last edited:
R
Rod
Guest
Great Stuff
I shall need to re-read your posting again. Inkerman street climbed NW from High Street/NewTown Row up to Alma Street. It would help greatly if we could make a diagram showing the side elevation. I tried and failed miserably at making an overlay of an old map to go over the 1917 Godfrey map I have. Thank you so much for your input on this, Ive been meaning to look at the history of the Astonbrook mill for a very long time, I just never get the time nowadays.
I shall need to re-read your posting again. Inkerman street climbed NW from High Street/NewTown Row up to Alma Street. It would help greatly if we could make a diagram showing the side elevation. I tried and failed miserably at making an overlay of an old map to go over the 1917 Godfrey map I have. Thank you so much for your input on this, Ive been meaning to look at the history of the Astonbrook mill for a very long time, I just never get the time nowadays.
The link below shows the 1890 junction of Porchester and Kensington. Does anyone know for sure that the industrial buildings on this corner are not the remains of Aston Furnace. I know that British History On Line quote that the buildings were gone by 1889 according to the 6" map but is this the case. The survey for the 1890 map would have been done over many years before publication and the buildings may still have been represented here. I know that the furnace was 'blown out' before 1800 but the buildings were used for other things after that. I find Aston Furnace and it's two pools intrigueing and would like to plot its development with it's pools and Newcomen engine over these years. I think a reasonably accurate representation can result. I would be grateful for any info pertaining to this subject and believe that with a little intuition we can plot the run of this waterway from Hockley down to and including Aston Brook Mill.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/m...heetid=10094&ox=0&oy=0&zm=1&czm=10&x=192&y=64
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/m...heetid=10094&ox=0&oy=0&zm=1&czm=10&x=192&y=64
gingerjon
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
Just a snippet from the Martidale story (Crocodile works Alma street)
This is a brief story of the crocodile works of Alma Street Aston. Horace Chavasse bought land in Alma Street Aston in 1860. It was a Greenfield site, with Hockley Brook flowing through it. Known to us as Aston Brook. It was the ideal place for building a factory. The City council had built a road across a year before and called it Alma Street after a famous battle of the Crimean war in 1854.
This is a brief story of the crocodile works of Alma Street Aston. Horace Chavasse bought land in Alma Street Aston in 1860. It was a Greenfield site, with Hockley Brook flowing through it. Known to us as Aston Brook. It was the ideal place for building a factory. The City council had built a road across a year before and called it Alma Street after a famous battle of the Crimean war in 1854.
Thankyou both, I have read these. What I am proposing is that the buildings on the corner of Kensington and Porchester are in fact on the exact site of the original Aston furnace. The possibly newer building in the front being the later paper/wire mill and the more squared off building behind being the original furnace building with the Newcomen engine at the northern end. The original pool would have been above this on Denmark St about. It was a long widened leat effectively.
I think that the later factory in Alma Street would have been steam driven as the Watt engines were more efficient by then. Hockley Brook right there could not have driven anything in my opinion. At that point it would have merely been spent water with no potential energy and not much of it seemingly. Water power although parallel with steam would have been on it's way out.
The leat and pools above could have still driven a wheel though but there is no evidence of this at that time. Incidentally Porchester would have ended at the factory that I am referring to, at that time as does Furnace Lane.
Alma Street I am proposing, was a culdesac when the Crocodile Factory was innitially there. I believe that it would have ended at the bank of the second pool which would have ranged above it. Only after the pool was drained would it have been able to continue further north and the school allowed to be built.
So keep the info coming. Knock my assertions that this was the exact factory site down. Hydraulically the location seems to make sense.
I think that the later factory in Alma Street would have been steam driven as the Watt engines were more efficient by then. Hockley Brook right there could not have driven anything in my opinion. At that point it would have merely been spent water with no potential energy and not much of it seemingly. Water power although parallel with steam would have been on it's way out.
The leat and pools above could have still driven a wheel though but there is no evidence of this at that time. Incidentally Porchester would have ended at the factory that I am referring to, at that time as does Furnace Lane.
Alma Street I am proposing, was a culdesac when the Crocodile Factory was innitially there. I believe that it would have ended at the bank of the second pool which would have ranged above it. Only after the pool was drained would it have been able to continue further north and the school allowed to be built.
So keep the info coming. Knock my assertions that this was the exact factory site down. Hydraulically the location seems to make sense.
John when it says Alma street was put in the year before, it would have crossed Hockley Brook. Hockley Brook however would have been below the tailrace from the furnace which would have been below the second pool. The tailrace could not feed back into the Hockley Brook at Porchester because the vertical elevation of the race would have been lower than the brook and brook water would have back flooded the bottom of the wheel. So the Race was taken further and crossed Newtown just west of the Potters Hill intersection, 'the fork'. Just prior to that the sluice water from the original pool would have met it after taking a more northerly route. Laterly there would have been a drop for this water from 2nd pool level if I am right. From there the run off would be away down to Aston Brook Mill to meet up with Hockley Brook again just below there. It seems to me that evidence of the existance of the second pool can be seen from the layout of the buildings on the 1890 survey and this evidence continues to the point just west of the Potters Hill/Newtown fork. Several of the old maps show the second pool and even approximate the shape. I want to make scale overlays of this area that can be used to overlay GE photos and 1890 survey together with an explanation. My starting point however is the factory at the corner of Kensington and Porchester.
The cyberlink below shows a picture of what I believe to be the old Aston Furnace looking west across Porchester and Furnace Lane. The paper mill building in front. To the left would be Hockley Brook and to the right the old pool behind. It appears to be winter and the building about to be overcome by a wave. I did not know what to make of this at first but I believe that this is a view from the spoil bank and some of the spoil hillocks in the foreground are obscuring the view. The lane and road are thus hidden. If you compare this with the 1890 survey it does not require a great leap of faith to think that it could be the same place. Kensington Road was not there at that time.
https://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/astonhall/astonarea/astonfurnace.htm
The cyberlink below shows a picture of what I believe to be the old Aston Furnace looking west across Porchester and Furnace Lane. The paper mill building in front. To the left would be Hockley Brook and to the right the old pool behind. It appears to be winter and the building about to be overcome by a wave. I did not know what to make of this at first but I believe that this is a view from the spoil bank and some of the spoil hillocks in the foreground are obscuring the view. The lane and road are thus hidden. If you compare this with the 1890 survey it does not require a great leap of faith to think that it could be the same place. Kensington Road was not there at that time.
https://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/astonhall/astonarea/astonfurnace.htm
W
Wendy
Guest
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
On reflection I am inclined to think the original leet or mill race did in fact follow that line shown on the map which today means it would be flowing uphill, but that when it was filled in for development, the land was re-levelled, partly using spoil from the furnace, (although Hockley Abbey was supposed to have been built with some of it).
All quite mysterious and fascinating.
Plenty to think about.
Peter
All quite mysterious and fascinating.
Plenty to think about.
Peter
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes, there are two threads pertaining. I was interested however, in establishing the buildings at Kensington and Porchester, on the 1890 survey, as the location of the original Aston Furnace. Maybe even a building or two. Water would not have had to run up-hill. The upper course would have been Sluice water from the original long pool which would have been located approx where Denmark St. would have been and you can see on the photos that, running directly across from there, would have been almost level. Slightly down hill if anything. In the old days elevated water was valuable so they kept the overflow up there also they would not have wanted the overflow to backflood the wheel. The tailrace would have run across from Kensington above Hockley Brook to meet up with the sluiced water at the bottom of Potters hill. Why not run the tailrace directly back into Hockley Brook? I think that it's surface elevation would have been below that of the Brook at that point and back-flooding of the wheel would have resulted. I suspect a not uncommon phenomena for mills on Midland streams. Leats were entirely made by 'men with spades'. They tapped into a stream and carried water at a much smaller slope over a distance so as to end up with a body of water that would be elevated above the natural stream further down. The constructors would have followed a route that would require the least amount of digging and banking on the side of a slope. It must have been tough sledding in the Midlands. So look for routes that were the easier to maintain elevation. Do not visualize free water runing down to it's lowest level. Tailraces were not an easy run-off either. I suspect that much digging had to be done on them mostly and being somewhat deep they were often fenced. Take a look at the old survey maps 'f' in itallic means fence. They often had to run a long way before they could re-enter the natural stream at a mutual level. If there is much interest in this I will post some drawings for comment.
gingerjon
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
First time on here for this map I think. It certainly shows that the furnace was at the junction of Kensington and Porchester and to the west of Furnace Lane. There is no sign of Alma Street and Hockley Brook does not turn the corner there. In fact the water system seems to be largely neglected, which may be because whatever was at the location was not using water power at this time. The leat does not seem to start at Soho hill and Hunters now. In fact it may be stagnant at this time, all of the water running down the Brook itself. You can see the Bridge across the Brook at Porchester. No sign of down stream pool at Furnace lane. Have to think about it a bit. Thanks John.
PS. I think the building up Furnace Lane would have been too high for this water source. Possibly a house/farm house maybe.
PS. I think the building up Furnace Lane would have been too high for this water source. Possibly a house/farm house maybe.
