Finch Foundry

Finch Foundry is a 19th-century water-powered forge situated in the village of Sticklepath near Okehampton, Devon, England. It was originally used to produce agricultural and mining hand tools and at its peak produced around 400 edge tools a day.[1] It remained an active foundry until 1960 when the roof collapsed[2] and has been a National Trust property since 1994. It contains examples of a tilt hammer, drop hammer, and shear hammer all powered by the water wheels.[3] The Trust maintains it in working order and demonstrations of the tools are given every hour.

  • A National Trust volunteer explaining how the foundry operated and was powered
  • Demonstrating the flattening of a red hot cast iron bar using the tilt hammer
  • Demonstrating the shear hammer by cutting a segment of red hot cast iron bar which had previously been flattened tilt hammer
One of Finch Foundry's water wheels

References
  1. "Finch Foundry". National Trust. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  2. "Foundry talk forges links with the past". North Devon Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  3. Barron, Richard A (1970). The Finch Foundry Trust and Sticklepath Museum of Rural Industry. Finch Foundry after 1966.


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