[Area: TQ 60994675] Rats Castle. Forge 1.5 miles E of Tonbridge Church. Placenames: Pondmead, Hammer Stream. There is no Bay left but the Pond Mead is swampy. The Hammer Stream is marked on the map much lower down the river, but can be said to flow from this site. [Probably refers to Hammer Dyke, at TQ 64244668,on OS 6" 1907-38] All that remains is masses of forge cinder under the turf, which showed in a dry season by the grass dying. Probably the second of two forges recorded in 1574. Approximate siting from map. (1) A modern estate map (a) shows 'site of supposed iron smelting works' at TQ 61224667. There is a heavy concentration of forge cinder and black earth at this point but no bay. According to W V Drumbeck (b) the site of the forge was at Postern Heath, where an old bay carries an occupation road to the Postern Farms, but apart from a few pieces of forge cinder in a garden at TQ 60634622, no evidence was seen and it seems probable that this was merely the supply pond. Surveyed at 1:2500. (2) TQ 612468, Rats Castle Forge Water-powered. Bay completely destroyed but its position may be indicated by a hedge line to the west of an area containing heaps of Forge cinder and bottoms. Water system and pond now dry. Not positively associated with any documentary source, but likely to be another of David Willards 1553 forges as Old Forge (see TQ 54 SE 5)and Postern Forge (see TQ 64 NW 16).(3)

<1> Wealden Iron 1931 222 map opp p.272 (E Straker) (OS Card Reference). SKE51288.

<2> Estate Map: Postern Heath Farm (OS Card Reference). SKE41666.

<3> Wing-Commander W V Dumbeck, James House, Hadlow. (OS Card Reference). SKE51395.

<4> F1 CFW 11-MAR-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42531.

<5> Iron Ind of the Weald 1985 352 (H Cleere & D Crossley) (OS Card Reference). SKE44517.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 64 NW 8 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3243.