More Gunpowder; No Treason but a Plot for Volunteers
Some months ago, I reported on the Leigh Gunpowder works. Our local historical society had received a grant from the Lottery to help it look into what, at first sight, appeared to be an overgrown wood with some overgrown waterways. Yet the experts of English Heritage thought it might well be a nationally important site and it is clearly proving to be just that. This article is, therefore, very much to seek help from groups and individuals.
Four months ago, with a documentary filmmaker on hand to record our progress throughout the coming year, we ceremoniously cut the barbed wire and started digging – guided by instinct and Paul Bennett, the Director of Canterbury Archaeological Trust.
The site that we are excavating is half a mile long, with about twenty main buildings marked on a large 1916 map. However, virtually all of these buildings were carefully and professionally demolished to their brick foundations at ground level in 1934 when ICI moved their explosive factories to West Scotland. We have a contemporary description which notes with sadness that all the buildings were knocked inwards and then burned, "with young boys being employed to rake through the ashes to find the copper nails". In spite of the efforts of the young boys, we are still digging up copper nails. However, perhaps the most ironic find – in view of the large number of explosions recorded in local papers during the mid-19th century – is an old clay pipe, almost certainly banned from the works.
I say "almost certainly banned" because there are virtually no papers or documents from any part of the hundred and twenty years of operation. All the ICI historical records were destroyed in the Second World War. We are, therefore, often finding ourselves relying on second-hand sources when we try to interpret what we are uncovering.
In one building we have recently come across a pile of circular brass ends of shotgun cartridges. They have 12 FLEY 12 NOBEL on them. Nobel was the name of the Powder Mill owners in the first half of the 1920s, so it seems likely that the works were packing/making 12 bore cartridges for the firm Eley in this building at this time.
However, we still have a long way to go and would welcome more volunteers – either as a group or as individuals; beginners or experienced diggers/archaeologists. We have one musket expert; a good number of people who have worked on other sites; and recently the Dover Archaeological Society arrived and in four strenuous days completely excavated a double mill: many thanks to everyone. So we can allocate a new building to a group if that provides a challenge!
We meet about three times a fortnight with some weekdays and some weekends. There are sessions at 10:00am - 12.30 pm and 2.00 – 4.30pm, with an excellent pub nearby. We are all finding it great fun.
Chris Rowley
Chairman, Leigh Historical Society
For more information please contact:
Dr David Hansell
Tel: 01732 358402
Email: drhansell@uwclub.net
www.leighhistorical.org.uk
ABOVE BOTTOM: Buttressed south wall of the building.