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daughters； died of the plague； Leonard and his brother being the only
members of the family that survived。 The patrimony of 200L。 left them
was soon spent； after which Leonard paid off his servants； and took
to work diligently at his father's trade。 Saving a little money； he
determined to go down into Sussex； where we shortly find him working
the St。 Leonard's Forge； and afterwards the Tensley Forge near
Crawley； and the Cowden Iron…works； which then bore a high
reputation。 After forty years' labour； he accumulated a good fortune；
which he left to his son of the same name； who went on iron…forging；
and eventually became a county gentleman； owner of the house and
estate of Crabbett near Worth； and Member of Parliament for East
Grinstead。
Several of the new families； however； after occupying a high position
in the county； again subsided into the labouring class； illustrating
the Lancashire proverb of 〃Twice clogs； once boots；〃 the sons
squandering what the father's had gathered； and falling back into the
ranks again。 Thus the great Fowles family of Riverhall disappeared
altogether from Sussex。 One of them built the fine mansion of
Riverhall； noble even in decay。 Another had a grant of free warren
from King James over his estates in Wadhurst； Frant； Rotherfield； and
Mayfield。 Mr。 Lower says the fourth in descent from this person kept
the turnpike…gate at Wadhurst； and that the last of the family； a
day…labourer； emigrated to America in 1839； carrying with him； as the
sole relic of his family greatness； the royal grant of free warren
given to his ancestor。 The Barhams and Mansers were also great
iron…men； officiating as high sheriffs of the county at different
times； and occupying spacious mansions。 One branch of these families
terminated； Mr。 Lower says； with Nicholas Barham； who died in the
workhouse at Wadhurst in 1788； and another continues to be
represented by a wheelwright at Wadhurst of the same name。
The iron manufacture of Sussex reached its height towards the close
of the reign of Elizabeth； when the trade became so prosperous that；
instead of importing iron； England began to export it in considerable
quantities； in the shape of iron ordnance。 Sir Thomas Leighton and
Sir Henry Neville had obtained patents from the queen； which enabled
them to send their ordnance abroad； the conseqnence of which was that
the Spaniards were found arming their ships and fighting us with guns
of our own manufacture。 Sir Walter Raleigh； calling attention to the
subject in the House of Commons； said； 〃I am sure heretofore one ship
of Her Majesty's was able to beat ten Spaniards； but now； by reason
of our own ordnance； we are hardly matcht one to one。〃 Proclamations
were issued forbidding the export of iron and brass ordnance； and a
bill was brought into Parliament to put a stop to the trade； but； not
withstanding these prohibitions； the Sussex guns long continued to be
smuggled out of the country in considerable numbers。 〃It is almost
incredible；〃 says Camden； 〃how many guns are made of the iron in this
county。 Count Gondomar （the Spanish ambassador） well knew their
goodness when he so often begged of King James the boon to export
them。〃 Though the king refused his sanction； it appears that Sir
Anthony Shirley of Weston； an extensive iron…master； succeeded in
forwarding to the King of Spain a hundred pieces of cannon。
So active were the Sussex manufacturers； and so brisk was the trade
they carried on； that during the reign of James I。 it is supposed
one…half of the whole quantity of iron produced in England was made
there。 Simon Sturtevant； in his 'Treatise of Metallica；' published in
1612； estimates the whole number of iron…mills in England and Wales
at 800； of which； he says； 〃there are foure hundred milnes in Surry；
Kent； and Sussex； as the townsmen of Haslemere have testified and
numbered unto me。 But the townsmen of Haslemere must certainly have
been exaggerating； unless they counted smiths' and farriers' shops in
the number of iron…mills。 About the same time that Sturtevant's
treatise was published； there appeared a treatise entitled the
'Surveyor's Dialogue；' by one John Norden； the object of which was to
make out a case against the iron…works and their being allowed to
burn up the timber of the country for fuel。 Yet Norden does not make
the number of iron…works much more than a third of Sturtevant's
estimate。 He says； 〃I have heard that there are or lately were in
Sussex neere 140 hammers and furnaces for iron； and in it and Surrey
adjoining three or four glasse…houses。〃 Even the smaller number
stated by Norden； however； shows that Sussex was then regarded as the
principal seat of the iron…trade。 Camden vividly describes the noise
and bustle of the manufacturethe working of the heavy hammers；
which； 〃beating upon the iron； fill the neighbourhood round about；
day and night； with continual noise。〃 These hammers were for the most
part worked by the power of water； carefully stored in the artificial
〃Hammer…ponds〃 above described。 The hammer…shaft was usually of ash；
about 9 feet long； clamped at intervals with iron hoops。 It was
worked by the revolutions of the water…wheel； furnished with
projecting arms or knobs to raise the hammer； which fell as each knob
passed； the rapidity of its action of course depending on the
velocity with which the water…wheel revolved。 The forge…blast was
also worked for the most part by water…power。 Where the furnaces were
small； the blast was produced by leather bellows worked by hand； or
by a horse walking in a gin。 The foot…blasts of the earlier
iron…smelters were so imperfect that but a small proportion of the
ore was reduced； so that the iron…makers of later times； more
particularly in the Forest of Dean； instead of digging for ironstone；
resorted to the beds of ancient scoriae for their principal supply of
the mineral。
Notwithstanding the large number of furnaces in blast throughout the
county of Sussex at the period we refer to； their produce was
comparatively small； and must not be measured by the enormous produce
of modern iron…works； for while an iron…furnace of the present day
will easily turn out 150 tons of pig per week； the best of the older
furnaces did not produce more than from three to four tons。 One of
the last extensive contracts executed in Sussex was the casting of
the iron rails which enclose St。 Paul's Cathedral。 The contract was
thought too large for one iron…master to undertake； and it was
consequently distributed amongst several contractors； though the
principal part of the work was executed at Lamberhurst； near
Tunbridge Wells。 But to produce the comparatively small quantity of
iron turned out by the old works； the consumption of timber was
enormous； for the making of every ton of pig…iron required four loads
of timber converted into charcoal fuel； and the making of every ton
of bar…iron required three additional loads。 Thus； n