Records of Hedges' Foundry, Bucklebury

<span class="wrapper"><p>Records in other collections</p> <p>D/EX 223/B1 Cash book of John Hedges of Bucklebury Forge, blacksmith, 1736-1746.</p> <p>MF 690 Held privately. Ledger of John Hedges of Bucklebury Forge, blacksmith, 1746-1763.</p> <p>MF 690 Deposited at West Berkshire Heritage. Ledger of John Hedges of Bucklebury Forge, blacksmith, 1763-1774.</p></span>

Deposited in January 2001 (acc. 6690).

Introduction

Hedges of Bucklebury was a small agricultural iron foundry that was established in the village in the 18th century. It was one of several small iron works that served the agricultural community in Berkshire. Most of the activity occurred in the middle of the 19th century, which was a period of rapid growth for farming.

The Hedges foundry was sited in a stone building alongside the River Pang. The river powered much of the machinery used in the foundry. Power was taken from a water wheel by a lay shaft into the main building. From there it was distributed by overhead drive with belts taking the power to the machinery.

The furnace was an unusual design, made up of iron staves bound together.

Most of the output from the iron works was used in the local farming community. The most notable examples are in the local grave yards where the head and foot markers can still be seen.

In the 18th century a blacksmithy on the site of the foundry was owned and operated by blacksmith John Hedges, and it remained in the Hedges family until 1908, when it appears to have been sold to a David William King. In 1947 the firm was taken over by the Whatley brothers, who continued in business to c.1960.

The foundry itself seems to have started about 1820.