[TQ 82063823] Hammer Mill, Biddenham (51 6' 50" N; 0 36' 10" E). Forge. Not traced in the 1574 lists, but probably the 'Horsefield in Cissingherst' mentioned in 1667. The hammer - pond, now an orchard (of Hammer Mill Farm) was, in 1802, 30 acres of general bog.' "The bay is high, and there are still some piles in the stream where the sluice stood. The present small mill - pond is of much later date, although the deep cutting that carried off the water may have been the old hammer dyke. There is a little cinder". (1) The hammer pond is drained and only the eastern half of the bay remains, the rest having been mutilated or destroyed by the former mill and farm buildings. The bay contains much forge cinder. A deep depression at TQ 82163831, and a channel running into it from the west, almost certainly represent the hammer pond and dyke. The depression contains black earth and cinder, as well as a considerable amount of burnt brick, and tile; and the farmer has always considered it to have been the site of the forge (a). Surveyed at 1:2500. (2) The iron-working site at Hammermill Farm thought to have closed in thelatter half of the 17th century, was excavated between 1970 and 1972. (3) (4) The wheel pit was found, its rim lying some 4 feet below the present soil surface. (3) The wheel stream and "dick" were almost entirely exposed, showing a timber shoring and floor to have been used along its length. (4) Several clay pipes, including some bowls,were prominent amongst the small finds. (3) No further information on this site is available and, according to Mrs. E. Binnie, Cardwell never produced a final report of the excavation nor has anything to add to it. (5) TQ 822383 Biddenden: Hammer Mill, forge and furnace, water powered. Bay 220 metres long with possible extension south to Hammer Wood. Height upstream, east end 1.75 metres, downstream 2.5 metres. Water system. Pond dry. Working area. Forge site in angle of bay at east end. Depression here represents wheelpit, whence channel runs to steam. Scattered bricks, tiles, round forge bottoms, cinder, glassy ce slag. Rectangular iron slab 1.25 metres x 75 cms. Sir Richard Baker ran this forge from c1570, - the pond was built then and had caused damage to a road bridge by 1583, - and the family stillheld the forge in 1650; if correctly identified as 'Horsefield in Sissinghust' it was still available for use in 1664. The blast furnace slag may may be explained by the reference to a furnace in Sissinghurst in Richard Baker's will of 1591. It is unlikely to have been built long before this, for there is no mention of a furnace in 1583, nor in 1588-90, when Baker's furnace was clearly placed in Hawkhurst parish, presumably at Frith. A furnace in Biddenden or Sissinghurst was stocked in 1653 and 1664. A forge at Horsfield near Sissinghurst also worked in 1653 and 1667. (6)

<1> Wealden Iron 1931 282-3 (E Straker) (OS Card Reference). SKE51296.

<2> F C Hall (owner) Hammermill Farm (OS Card Reference). SKE41717.

<3> F1 CFW 13.02.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42556.

<4> Arch Cant 85 1970 192 (A B Cardwell) (OS Card Reference). SKE35812.

<5> Arch Cant 87 1972 240 (A B Cardwell) (OS Card Reference). SKE35913.

<6> Letter (Mrs E Binnie 18 10 84) (OS Card Reference). SKE46065.

<7> Iron Ind of the Weald 1985 132 315-16 (H Cleere & D Crossley) (OS Card Reference). SKE44509.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 83 NW 7 - February, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4322.