[TQ68263343] Chingley or Shingley Iron Forge was situated at Lat. 51 degrees, 4' 30" N. Long 0 degrees, 24' 10" E. There is some cinder where the hammer dyke commences, but all traces of the bay and the connecting leat from the river have disappeared. The forge is mentioned between 1626 and 1726 and is shown on Budgen's map of 1724. (1) The site of the forge is indicated by a heavy concentration of black earth and cinder at the head of the hammer-dyke at TQ33486816 The pond-bay has been destroyed but it's course remains faintly traceable from TQ68073350 to TQ6814 3346. Surveyed at 1:2500. (2) No change. Survey of 19-2-63 still correct (3) TQ682335. Chingley Forge. In 1968 DW Crossley and D Ashurst began excavations, through the Society of Post Medieval Archaeology, into the 17th century finery forge at Chingley. This site and the nearby blast furnace (TQ 63 SE 1) were excavated in advance of the construction of the Bewl Bridge Reservoir, Excavations continued in 1969,70,71 and were completed by Crossley in 1972. Only faint traces of a dam remained but a sizeable ditch ran northward to join the Bewl a likely tail-race for it began at a patch of wet ground showing scatters of cinder. The former dam had been levelled about 1800 and material from it dumped over the site. This overburden protected a complete finery- forge complex, abandoned early 18th century. This consisted of a finery hearth, with water-powered bellows: a hammer indicated by it's bare frame a wheel-pit and a timber anvil base in a pit 7 ft deep and thirdly a chafery hearth. The chafery bellows had also been water-powered and part wheel survived. Although the equipment had been re-built from time to time in general form it dated from the early 17th century. Metalwork deposits suggested the manufacture of tools and cutlery as well as simple refining. There were two periods A wheel-pit,which probably housed two wheels lay beneath the late hammer-wheel-pit. This pit was associated with 16th century pottery and could well correspond with a reference to Chingley forge being at work in 1588. It was just conceivable that the excavated firery dates from the 16th century although there was no firm evidence for firery or chafery hearth of this period. The earliest deposits lay beneath the 16th century structure. These were of the 14th century a period of bloomery smelting these consisted of a wheel pit part of the wheel remaining, and massive wheel-preserved timbers provides a base for heavy equipment probably the hammer base for therewere finds indicating smithing, eg scrap knife blades and cinder. Theabsence of tap-slag suggested smelting of blooms took place elsewhere. This level produced an interesting group of local medievalceramics. At present there is no known documentary evidence for a 14th century site in the Bewl Valley. (4-14). TQ682335 chingley forge a water-powered site gazetteer c. Features noted before excavation and invidation: bay length 100m height barely discernible (nee Illus Card) and breached by stream at the west end pond day with cinder seen at head of tail-race (a)
Built after 1579 but before 1589 (b) and John Legas was tenant in 1726 (c)
(See illustration card for plan of excavated site). (15)
Goudhurst is shown on a distribution map of parishes with ironworks extant in 1574 (16). (15-16)

<1> Wealdon Iron 1931 277 (E.Straker) (OS Card Reference). SKE51304.

<2> F1 CFW 19.02.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42637.

<3> F2 ASP 22.10.69 (OS Card Reference). SKE43147.

<4> Kent Arch Rev 32 sumer 1973 36-38 photo (D W Crossley) (OS Card Reference). SKE45762.

<5> Post Md Arch 3 1969 208-10 fig (OS Card Reference). SKE48535.

<6> KAR 4 1970 186-7 (OS Card Reference). SKE45330.

<7> KAR 5 1971 217 219 (OS Card Reference). SKE45355.

<8> KAR 6 1972 222 (OS Card Reference). SKE45378.

<9> KAR 7 1973 115 (OS Card Reference). SKE45411.

<10> Md Arch 16 1972 210 (OS Card Reference). SKE46584.

<11> Bull Hist Met Gp 6 No1 1972 35-6 photo (OS Card Reference). SKE38427.

<12> Suss Arch Soc Newl No6 June 1972 (D W crossley) (OS Card Reference). SKE49765.

<13> DOE Arch Excavs 1971 30-31 (OS Card Reference). SKE40793.

<14> CBA Cal of Excavs 1971 16 (OS Card Reference). SKE38764.

<15> The Bewl Valley Ironworks 1975 Royal His Soc Camden 4th Series (D W Crossly) (OS Card Reference). SKE50113.

<16> Staffs Ro D593/5/4/28/3 (OS Card Reference). SKE49664.

<17> Kent Archive office u 409/t2 (OS Card Reference). SKE45902.

<18> The Iron Ind of the Weald 1985 see Index Figs Photos 992 (H Cleere and D Grossely) (OS Card Reference). SKE50398.

<19> Hist Met Soc 8 Wint 1980 The Weald 79 (Conference Rep) 4-8 map (OS Card Reference). SKE43907.

<20> Field report for monument TQ 63 SE 2 - February, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3221.

<21> Field report for monument TQ 63 SE 2 - October, 1969 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3222.