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Aston Furnace
- Thread starter Astoness
- Start date
Alf
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
You could find it here Lyn in was in Search
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9829&highlight=aston+furnace
John Houghton posted a Map
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9829&highlight=aston+furnace
John Houghton posted a Map
Last edited:
W
Wendy
Guest
There are a few suggestions on this thread Lynn.
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9829&highlight=Furnace&page=3
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9829&highlight=Furnace&page=3
Ray Barrett
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
A story I remember was that it could have been in
Something I recall was that it was in Park Rd,Aston.And one enterprising Brummy used to collect the cinders,polish them and sell them as semi precious stones,far fetched,maybe.However,if you want to play cards with a brummy,throw your wallet on the table and go home,is also something that makes sense.
Something I recall was that it was in Park Rd,Aston.And one enterprising Brummy used to collect the cinders,polish them and sell them as semi precious stones,far fetched,maybe.However,if you want to play cards with a brummy,throw your wallet on the table and go home,is also something that makes sense.
On the 1890 survey map it was at the junction of Porchester and Kensington (north of Kensington and west of Porchester) and the old furnace Lane ended there too. Yes it is where the park is now, I think there is a circular footpath that circles it. There is quite a big section on the subject here and several great maps by Peter Walker, together with some conjecture about weather there was a pool just below it. The 1890 map does not show the leat from Hockley Brook that fed the original furnace wheel...it being filled in by then.
There is only one ref to a pool below the mill but what is certain is that just west of the old Alma Street and about where the Alma Street School was, there was a huge pile of cinders.
There is only one ref to a pool below the mill but what is certain is that just west of the old Alma Street and about where the Alma Street School was, there was a huge pile of cinders.
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Wendy
Guest
Well done Lyn at least it lets us know what is happening and that many of us are interested. My Dad always said ' if you don't ask you don't get'
thanks wendy..but to tell the truth i am not that happy about it... not happy at all..to preserve it is all well and good but after we had seen it..had it documented..taken pictures and then back filled is what we would all have wanted...i am not throwing in the towel just yet....i shall keep you informed of any progress made....
lyn
lyn
thanks rupert and peter for all that info and the drawings and map....i shall be saving them for future reference......does anyone know the exact year that the mill was closed and has anything ever been built on it or has it always been an open space as it is now.....
hi mike....i have got mike aston on the list of people to contact.....
lyn
hi mike....i have got mike aston on the list of people to contact.....
lyn
This is the first time that I have seen the Map on Peters post. Like all of the previous ones they miss much detail. The location of the mill is the same though within maybe 30 to 50 yards or so and the run of the brook is remarkably constant even back to then.
A couple of things to ponder:
a) Is the strange shaped part in between the two Barrons a weir or what used to be a weir before then. Remember that Aston Brook Mill was in place before the Furnace and a fairly long leat would be required to obtain a reasonable head for their pool. The straight way from furnace lane may have been the leat from above the weir to the lower mill. The course of the Brook itself takes a meandering route across Joshia Robins field. The leat seems to be curtailed though and I wonder why. Could it be that after the furnace was started the tailrace was at a higher level than the brook and so this water was used to feed the lower mill pool and thus give it more head so that the original weir (if there was one) was no longer required. I think that the water wheel was used for flour milling at the lower Aston Brook Mill into the 1880s so that water supply for this would have to be maintained. The 1890 map has Bench Marks on it so that an idea of possible water elevation can be gained remembering that the man made/dug leat (ouch) will always be above the level of the stream so that you need a ridge above the stream bank to dig on; usually a long way upstream around Brum. I don't know about buttons and needles, when you think of all of the digging that went on, maybe the industrial city was made by men with spades.
b) There seems to be a lane of sorts coming down albeit across a field and possibly curving off and funnelling to the right. It serves the Furnace also but would not have been called Furnace Lane before the Furnace was built. Maybe this became a more important rout in the early years of operation; bringing in materials from the Black Country...iron ore, charcoal and whatever. Maybe charcoal was used for smelting in the early days before later developments. Latterly maybe canals took over much of the grunt transportation requirements and the lane would have become a narrower back entry for the low cost dwellings that most of us would be familiar with. If you look at the lower part of Furnace Lane where it crosses over Clifford you will notice a curious offset which was probably caused by the need for back yards for the houses on Porchester (loos and wash houses). the lane was moved over with a wall on one side that skirted the playground of Alma Street School. Perhaps the canals in a way may have doomed this location for a furnace; it not being right next to one and cartage being of a heavy nature. The invention of steam power, particularly the rotary aspect of it, had taken over and a head of water was no longer required. It is funny how what comes around...goes around. Maybe today has come full circle and with better design and longer lasting materials and components the old water wheel on a stream could become greatly valued again and you may be able to think of places that would be very suitable. Low/no impact production of maybe 20 reliable continuous HP is not to be laughed at. Good hunting.
Rupert
A couple of things to ponder:
a) Is the strange shaped part in between the two Barrons a weir or what used to be a weir before then. Remember that Aston Brook Mill was in place before the Furnace and a fairly long leat would be required to obtain a reasonable head for their pool. The straight way from furnace lane may have been the leat from above the weir to the lower mill. The course of the Brook itself takes a meandering route across Joshia Robins field. The leat seems to be curtailed though and I wonder why. Could it be that after the furnace was started the tailrace was at a higher level than the brook and so this water was used to feed the lower mill pool and thus give it more head so that the original weir (if there was one) was no longer required. I think that the water wheel was used for flour milling at the lower Aston Brook Mill into the 1880s so that water supply for this would have to be maintained. The 1890 map has Bench Marks on it so that an idea of possible water elevation can be gained remembering that the man made/dug leat (ouch) will always be above the level of the stream so that you need a ridge above the stream bank to dig on; usually a long way upstream around Brum. I don't know about buttons and needles, when you think of all of the digging that went on, maybe the industrial city was made by men with spades.
b) There seems to be a lane of sorts coming down albeit across a field and possibly curving off and funnelling to the right. It serves the Furnace also but would not have been called Furnace Lane before the Furnace was built. Maybe this became a more important rout in the early years of operation; bringing in materials from the Black Country...iron ore, charcoal and whatever. Maybe charcoal was used for smelting in the early days before later developments. Latterly maybe canals took over much of the grunt transportation requirements and the lane would have become a narrower back entry for the low cost dwellings that most of us would be familiar with. If you look at the lower part of Furnace Lane where it crosses over Clifford you will notice a curious offset which was probably caused by the need for back yards for the houses on Porchester (loos and wash houses). the lane was moved over with a wall on one side that skirted the playground of Alma Street School. Perhaps the canals in a way may have doomed this location for a furnace; it not being right next to one and cartage being of a heavy nature. The invention of steam power, particularly the rotary aspect of it, had taken over and a head of water was no longer required. It is funny how what comes around...goes around. Maybe today has come full circle and with better design and longer lasting materials and components the old water wheel on a stream could become greatly valued again and you may be able to think of places that would be very suitable. Low/no impact production of maybe 20 reliable continuous HP is not to be laughed at. Good hunting.
Rupert
hi all...ive done a bit of digging today...(excuse the pun) and found out that we can indeed put in an application to channel 4s time team with suggestions of possible new sites to explore....having read their criteria for excavations aston furnace can tick quite a few boxes....i like the one where they say confined spaces are ideal such as parks..i shall now be making an application and putting a case forward....along with a copy of peter walkers john pigot smiths 1828 survey map... the colour drawing of the furnace posted by rupert...and pics of the yellow park...i will go down tomorrow and take the pics of that....
nothing ventured...nothing gained....so keep everything crossed...
will keep you informed of any developements....
lyn
nothing ventured...nothing gained....so keep everything crossed...
will keep you informed of any developements....
lyn
W
Wendy
Guest
Great stuff Lyn lets hope Mick Aston gets interested.........home turf and all that!
morning wendy...and thanks all for your support...it does mean a lot to me....thing is i dont want to spend the next 5 or 10 years wondering what might have been....lets strike while the iron is hot...
theres another pun...hoping to put pics on tonight of the yellow park and you can all make up your minds as to wether its such a big deal to dig it up....
lyn
theres another pun...hoping to put pics on tonight of the yellow park and you can all make up your minds as to wether its such a big deal to dig it up....lyn
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
morning wendy...and thanks all for your support...it does mean a lot to me....thing is i dont want to spend the next 5 or 10 years wondering what might have been....lets strike while the iron is hot...
lyn
Just don't get yer hands burnt
hi rupert...if you read mike hodders reply to me which is on post 13 he is saying that the open spaces of the park will remain but they plan to change the layout.... whatever that means...maybe they plan to just change the playground....i am afraid not much is given away by the powers that be...and we will only be told what they want us to hear....
lyn
lyn
hi all...just a quick update on aston furnace....
i have now written to time team putting the case forward for aston furnace to be one of their future projects...i have also forwarded maps and drawings of the furnace for their reference...
so we just wait now and hope for a reply from them....like i have said before if you dont ask you dont get and at least we tried.....
fingers crossed and i will keep you informed of any developements....
lyn
i have now written to time team putting the case forward for aston furnace to be one of their future projects...i have also forwarded maps and drawings of the furnace for their reference...
so we just wait now and hope for a reply from them....like i have said before if you dont ask you dont get and at least we tried.....
fingers crossed and i will keep you informed of any developements....
lyn
hi all...for those of you with an interest in aston furnace i have just received this reply in response to the letter i sent to them....
its not a yes its not a no but i am happy for now to let them ponder on it for a while and i will remain ever hopeful....
ps..at least they didnt file me in the bin....
lyn
its not a yes its not a no but i am happy for now to let them ponder on it for a while and i will remain ever hopeful....
ps..at least they didnt file me in the bin....
lyn
BordesleyExile
master brummie
Well done, Lyn, for taking the initiative in the Time Team refferal. I suppose it is to be expected that they will balance the merits of all submissions when planning the next series, but I will keep my fingers crossed for an Aston Furnace excavation.
Shirley
Shirley