Finch Foundry
Finch Foundry is a 19th-century water-powered forge situated in the village of Sticklepath near Okehampton, Devon, England. It was originally used to produce agricultural and mining hand tools and at its peak produced around 400 edge-tools a day.[1] It remained an active foundry until 1960 when the roof collapsed[2] and has been a National Trust property since 1994. It contains examples of a tilt hammer, drop hammer, and shear hammer all powered by water wheels.[3] The Trust maintains the forge in working order and demonstrations of the tools are given.
A National Trust volunteer explaining how the foundry operated and was powered
Demonstrating the flattening of a red hot cast iron bar using the tilt hammer
Demonstrating the shear hammer by cutting a segment of red hot cast iron bar which had previously been flattened tilt hammer
References[]
- ^ "Finch Foundry". National Trust. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
- ^ "Foundry talk forges links with the past". North Devon Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
- ^ Barron, Richard A (1970). The Finch Foundry Trust and Sticklepath Museum of Rural Industry. Finch Foundry after 1966.
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Finch Foundry. |
- Finch Foundry information, National Trust
Coordinates: 50°43′50″N 3°55′34″W / 50.73056°N 3.92611°W
- National Trust properties in Devon
- Museums in Devon
- Technology museums in the United Kingdom
- Foundries in the United Kingdom
- Industrial buildings in England
- Industrial archaeological sites in Devon
- Power hammers
- Devon geography stubs