A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



1426-7 the most primitive 11 of all methods of 

 reducing the ore, namely, by means of a wind- 

 furnace, was still in use as being by far the cheapest 

 whenever the atmospheric conditions were favour- 

 able and the ore suitable, and that in this way 

 more than half the lead was obtained. As late 

 as the seventeenth century, at the bole-hills of 

 Derbyshire, the same practice prevailed. 12 



They melt the lead upon the tops of the hills that lye 

 open to the west wind ; making their fires to melt it 

 as soon as the west wind begins to blow ; which wind 

 by long experience they find holds longest of all others. 



The smelting-hearth, with water-power, also in 

 use when required, probably differed in no essen- 

 tial particular from the furnace of the Wirksworth 

 lead-smelters described 13 by Martyn in 1729, as 



very rude and simple, consisting only of some large 

 rough stones, placed in such a manner as to form a 

 square cavity, into which the ore and coals are thrown 

 stratum super stratum ; two great bellows continually 

 blowing the fire, being moved alternately by water. I 

 saw no other fuel used on this occasion but dried 

 sticks, which they call white coal. Mr. Ray informs 

 us that they use both white and black coal or charcoal 

 in Cardiganshire. I suppose because that ore is harder 

 to flux, the charcoal making a more vehement fire. 



In such smelting-hearths not only native ore but 

 slag or black-work, the refuse of the ' boiling,' 

 could be treated. 



As to the fuel used in Durham for the ' boiling ' 

 we learn that Adam del Stobbes was paid %d. a 

 day for sixteen days between Martinmas and 

 Christmas ' pro prostracione, amputacione et cul- 

 pacione bosci et ligni focalis pro plumbo faciendo 

 hoc anno in bolyng,' and also ^d. a day sine 

 prandio for 128 days from Candlemas to Michael- 

 mas while engaged on the same job. John Den- 

 nyng also gave slight assistance, cutting twenty 

 fothers or cart-loads of wood at id. a fother. 



It is clear that when the wind was unfavour- 

 able the ore was smelted with aid of a water- 

 wheel or a foot-blast, the latter being employed 

 in the summer-time on account of the drought 

 (pro 22 dies temper e aestiva/i causa siccitatis tem- 



11 The description by the Spanish priest Albaro 

 Alonso Barba of the primitive furnaces used by the 

 natives near the famous silver mines of Potosi in the New 

 World might almost have been written of the Durham 

 ' bole-hills.' He distinctly states that bellows were 

 not employed, but that otherwise they were 'seme- 

 jantes a los castellanos dichos difercianse en que for todos 

 fortes estan llenos de agugens per donde entra el aire 

 quandoel vientosopla, tiemfoenque solo pueden fundir. . . 

 Ponense en lugares aitoi, y donde corra viento de 

 ordinario.' Arte de los Metaks (1640), 80. Similarly 

 Westgarth Foster describes these early Durham hearths 

 or furnaces as built of piles of stones placed round a fire 

 ' in such a way as to leave certain openings which 

 served as flues and blast holes ' ; Strata from Netvcastle- 

 upon-Tyne to Cross Fell (3rd ed.), 183. 



11 Joshua Childrey, Britannia Baconica (i 66 1), 112. 



13 Philosophical Soc, Trans, xxxvi, 31, 32. 



ports}. Richard Skynner, Thomas Walker, and 

 Robert de Whorlton, junior, were thus employed 

 ' operantibus et sufflantibus les belys pro combus- 

 tione, liquacione et factura plumbi in smeltyna;,' 

 and were paid \d. a day each. Two other men 

 were similarly employed for twelve days at the 

 same rate, but Maud Skynner, who had a seven 

 days' job of the same kind was only paid ^d. a 

 day. Adam Saunderson, ' colyer,' also cut wood 

 and underwood, made 38 doz. 2 qr. of coals, 

 and carried them to ' les smeltyng places ' for the 

 smelting. 



In respect to other expenses this year 'A water- 

 course apud le Redemyre ' had been repaired, as 

 also a wain-road, and no less than 4;. 6d. paid to 

 John Richmond 'pro uno corio bovino molli- 

 ficato,' bought for covering a pair of bellows for 

 the smelting, while lod. was expended 'pro uno 

 potello olei ' for the softening and oiling (unctione) 

 of another pair of bellows for this work ; William 

 Smith of Auckland also receiving 3*. 8d. ' pro le 

 letheryng et auxilacione ferramenti in capite ' of 

 a pair of bellows as well as the making and fit- 

 ting of ' uno fistulo ferri pro vento intrando et 

 exeundo in capite eorundem.' Other iron-work 

 is mentioned in connexion with the making or 

 mending of tools, and at least three pairs of 

 banastres were bought to carry the charcoal. 



Apparently about one fother of lead was pro- 

 duced from eight loads of ore on an average, the 

 amount of ore smelted during the period under 

 consideration including some which had been 

 mined but not ' boiled ' or smelted during the 

 previous year. As to the destination of the 

 metal, there are entries of lead sent to the wharves 

 of Whickham (stathas de Qwykham], and also 

 direct to the manor of Auckland, the former con- 

 signment no doubt for export, the latter for the 

 bishop's own use. 14 



The following year 16 (1427) we meet with 

 entries which seem to indicate the opening up of 

 a new mine, 2CW. being paid to Robert Colyer 

 and William Bunche, miners, ' for working and 

 proving (probantibus) a lead mine at Herthop for 

 3 weeks in April and May at the lord's com- 

 mand,' while Robert de Whorlton and John del 

 Grange received 4*. for working six night shifts. 

 (nodes) at the same time. Two well-tanned 

 hides were also bought for making a new tunica 

 and ' 2 bagges (? leather buckets) pro minera de 

 Herthop probanda,' and the usual oil and lard 

 for softening the leather. The tunica was 

 apparently for the use of Robert Colyer. On 

 the same occasion a g-fathom rope was bought, 

 which cost if. 9^., as well as two large picks and 

 three great wedges. And one further entry from 

 this account is worth notice, 'Paid to Robert 



14 It may be noted that the accounts do not suggest 

 any extraction of silver at this period. In Wolsey's. 

 time the silver for the mint at Durham was procured 

 in London. 



15 Eccl. Com. Mins. Accts. 190013. 



350 



