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Iron Memorial slabs, Wadhurst church
Wadhurst church contains over 30 iron memorial slabs - more than any other church in England. Wadhurst was one of the leading centres of the Wealden iron industry that flourished in the 16th C.
The slabs are mostly 17th Century.
The way the slabs were made was to prepare a bed of sand and to press into it a block of wood already carved with the names, dates and inscriptions, coats of arms and so on that were required. This was then lifted off and molten iron poured over the sand, filling the indentations made by the carvings. When the iron had cooled and solidified it was turned over, any sand adhering to it being brushed off, and the slab was then ready to be taken to the church and lowered into place. In some cases the letters of the inscription were carved and pressed into the sand individually, slats being used to keep them in line.
(From Wadhurst church guide - Oliver Mason)
The slabs are mostly 17th Century.
The way the slabs were made was to prepare a bed of sand and to press into it a block of wood already carved with the names, dates and inscriptions, coats of arms and so on that were required. This was then lifted off and molten iron poured over the sand, filling the indentations made by the carvings. When the iron had cooled and solidified it was turned over, any sand adhering to it being brushed off, and the slab was then ready to be taken to the church and lowered into place. In some cases the letters of the inscription were carved and pressed into the sand individually, slats being used to keep them in line.
(From Wadhurst church guide - Oliver Mason)
Created: Tue, 27 Dec 2011, Updated: Tue, 27 Dec 2011
2 images use this description: (all images taken in 2011)
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