Saltcote 2014 no2

The newsletter of Ecosal-UK and the UK Salt Network

Ecosal-UK is as much about cultural aspects of salt as it is about the arts of traditionalsalt making. Following a meeting at the Anglesey Sea Salt Company potter RichardDaniels has been experimenting with Halen Môn sea salt to glaze his pots at CreigiauMawr Pottery,Carreglefn, Anglesey. Richard collects local clays from the foreshore ofAnglesey to give his pots a unique appearance. Already linked to the Geo-Mon projecton the island, using locally made sea salt is a natural extension to his work. Having hisunique wares linked so dramatically to the designated AONB Anglesey coastline and theinternationally famous Geo Park is making his work much sought after by collectors.Photographs: Richard Daniels. http://www.creigiaumawrpottery.co.uk/

SaltcoteNo.2. December - 2014

Saltcote: a place where salt was made and stored.

Page Article 1 Richard Daniels - Creigiau Mawr Pottery 2 STRA Workshop 5 Cheshire Salt Projects -

Nantwich Museum;Middlewich;Lion Salt Works, NorthwichThe Dungeon, HaltonNorthwich Initiatives

12 A New Lincolnshire Salt Book 13 Helston Museum Project 15 Making the Invisible Visible 17 Medieval Salt Making on the Solway 18 New Saltcote for Halen Môn 19 The Archaeology of Salt Production in Ireland 21 Some Events in 2014 22 Diary and How to Join the Salt Network

Page 1

Salt,Clay and FireCreigiau Mawr Pottery

Richard Daniels

Salt glaze kiln at Creigiau Mawr Pottery

http://www.creigiaumawrpottery.co.uk/creigiaumawrpottery/Welcome.html

The Salt Network of Ecosal-UK

Saltcote - the newsletter of Ecosal UK No. 2. December 2014

First WorkshopHeld by STRASel Traditionnel Route de

Benoît Poitevin and Nathanaëlle Eudes

Benoit Poitevin, manager at Ecomusée du maraissalant de l'île de Ré and president of the association“Traditionnal Saltmaking, the Atlantic Route”welcomed everyone. He thanked the La Manchegeneral council for hosting the workshop and theEcomusee de la Baie du Mont Saint Michel team forhelping to organise it. For a variety of reasons manyhad been unable to travel to the meeting and Benoitgave apologies on behalf of Belen Escobar -Diputacion Foral de Alava, Charo Apesteguía -Salinasde Oro, Andrew Fielding - Ecosal UK and RobertoLópez de Eguílaz - Fundacion Valle Salado de Añanawho hadn’t been able to personally take part in theworkshop.

The workshop was opened with a talk about the Ecomuseede la Baie du Mont Saint Michel presented by its manager,Jean-Yves Cocaign. La Manche General Council handles anetwork of 10 museums in the area and the Ecomusee ispart of this network and it focuses on the local landscapeand its evolution, the local environment (fauna and flora)and the past and present human activities, especially theshore fishing and the salt production that ended 150 yearsago.

A presentation entitled Traditional Salt, The AtlanticRoute, one of the Goals of the Ecosal Atlantis Project wasdelivered by Benoit Poitevin on behalf of Belen Escobar -Diputacion Foral de Alava who had managed the Ecosal-Atlantis Project 2010-13. A book describing salt making onthe Atlantic coast is still outstanding from the Ecosal-Atlantis project but should completed early in 2015.

The workshop discussed what products might be sold at saltproduction sites. Presentations gave first-hand informationfrom two sites, one in Spain the other in France. Apresentation from Valle Salado de Añana, Spain wassubmitted by Roberto López de Eguílaz, Fundacion ValleSalado de Anana and described how they created their shop,the products they chose and on outline of their marketingstrategy. They produce four different type of salt: “fleur desel”, mineral salt, sea water spray and stalactites. In 2014:the sale of salt generated 381 000 € and the visitoradmission charges generated 85 000 €.

Port des salines – FR: a museum shop surrounded by otherslocal producers.Marie Duverger, educational interpretation, visitorreception and shop manager explained the operations at theEcomusée du Port des salines, France where the museum

and the museum shop are surrounded by other local saltproducers.Round table: derivative products, possible identity markers ofa networkThere was an exchange of ideas about the opportunity tocreate a product that could be sold in shops that are part ofthe STRA network.

Several proposals were made: mugs, samples of thedifferent salt of the network, necklaces made with a saltcrystal, salt container (main à sel) such as the pile of saltfrom Figueira Da Foz, package for children with a ball ofclay and brine in order to product salt at home, bookmarks,windmills (not used in Portugal) and postcards of differentlandscapes. The last proposal is going to be looked at ingreater detail to provide costs to produce a box of 20postcards. So, the first theme could be about saltlandscapes.

Flier for the first workshop organised by theSel Traditionnel Route de l’Atlantique.



Delegates visited the Ecomusee to see a demonstrationof salt making by Jean-Yves Cocaign and ChristellePigeon. The salt production activity at Vains ended in1865. At that time during spring, the shore was ploughedand during the largest tides it was covered by the saltysea-water. After 6 or 7 days of sunny weather, and whenthe tides where lower and didn’t cover the sand, thesurface of the dry salty sand (4-5 cm) was collected andstored. In winter the salt in the sand was dissolved withfresh water in a wooden box called “la fosse” in order tocreate brine. This brine had a brown color because ofthe straw and wood filter placed in the bottom of thewooden box. It was then called “la brune” due to itscolour.

The brine was then boiled inside the salt cote in a leadpan using a wood fire. Nowadays, the demonstrationtake place in a rebuilt salt cote,where the lead has beenreplace by stainless steel and the wood fire by gas. Aftera certain time of evaporation the very damp salt wascollected and stored in wicker baskets for 3 daysminimum to get dry. By this process 180 kg of salt couldbe produced in a day.

The écomusee now produce circa 200 kg per year duringits demonstrations.

Other parts of the museum are based on the fauna, theflora, the landscapes and the past and present human

Top: Brine containers to hold ‘la brune’ insidethe saltcote.

Middle: Evaporating the brine in a salt pan.

Left: Panoramic display panels describing thelandscape around the saltcote.



In the absence of Andrew Fielding the presentation fromEcosal-UK was given by Nathanaëlle Eudes. The talkdescribed three salt towns in the county of Cheshire:Middlewich, where they were working to conserve a brinepump; Nantwich Museum,which has archaeological remainsof the town’s salt story and hopes to recreate a 'Blessing theBrine' festival in 2015, and Northwich where the restorationof the Lion Salt Works will be achieved in 2015. Adescription was given of the Anglesey Sea Salt Company,Wales where they make a brand of salt called Halen Mon.They are building a new “salt cote” which will be completedin 2015. Their present shop area is based on a kitchentheme.

Andrew Fielding and Ecosal-UK made two propositions ofcollaboration: a temporary exhibition promoting the use ofsalt in glazing pottery and a partnership between thedifferent sites using sand washing process.

Filoména Martins, University of Aveiro gave a presentationof the different projects that have been conducted by theUniversity in order to study and value the traditional saltproduction in the Aveiro lagoon, Portugal.

The next meeting of STRA will take place at AveiroUniversity, Portugal in March 2015.

Delegates walked 10km around Mont-Saint-Michel Bay in thedirection of the Tombelaine Island.

Photographs: Filoména Martins, University of Aveiro.



Graham Dodd, Trustee Nantwich Museum

Nantwich Museum, Cheshire

The name of the town of Nantwich was derived in partfrom the Welsh name 'Nant yr Heledd Wen' meaning thestream of the white salt pit.

At one time on Ascension Day the inhabitants of Nantwichwould dress the main brine spring in the town the OldBiot and spend the day in dancing, feasting andmerriment celebrating the gift of the brine. A hymnBlessing the Brine would be sung. The words of the hymnfeatured in the Salt Sunday event held at Winnington,Northwich in May, 2014 a few days before Ascension Daythe traditional time for it to be sung.

Coincidental with the Celebrating Salt Together TownshipEvents involving Winsford and Middlewich in SeptemberNantwich Museum offered Salt Walks around the town.They told the story of Nantwich brine taking in the OldBiot and the sites in the town where salt was variouslyproduced. River levels were such that participants wereable to view the brine spring by the river at The Willows -one of many springs associated with the River Weaver.Also the salt meadows and lake to the south of the townmade salty by further upwelling of brine. Today there islittle to see of the Old Biot but brine is still drawn fromthe spring to supply the nearby Open Air Brine Pool.

In October members of the Chester Society for LandscapeHistory led by Julie Smalley spent a day in the town. Awalkabout provided an opportunity to visit the brinesprings and salt making sites.

Delegates from the Association for Industrial Archaeologyconference held in Chester visited the town in September.The conference dealt with The Archaeology of Chemicaland Textile Finishing. The particular interest in Nantwichwas salt making. A visit to the museum provided anopportunity to view the permanent display featuringitems from the time the Romans made salt in the townincluding a lead salt pan of the period. Also the museum'spride and joy a section of a medieval salt ship, ahollowed-out tree trunk, in which brine would have beenstored in salt houses.

The museum is developing a series of 'comics' tointroduce, particularly to younger visitors, various topicsconcerning the town's history. The latest comic will bepublished shortly and is entitled The Story of NantwichSalt. Copies will be available from Nantwich Museum.

www.nantwichmuseum.org.uk

Brine spring at The Willows flowing into the River Weaver.

NantwichThe Stream of the White Salt Pit

Visit to Nantwich by the Chester Society for Landscape History.

Inscription at the ‘Old biot’ brine spring.

http://nantwichmuseum.org.uk

http://nantwichmuseum.org.uk



The first Baron of Kinderton was Gilbert de Venables,appointed by the Earl of Chester around 1080s and thepower of the Barons meant that they oversaw andadministered punishments, and had control overtenants & settlers in the community. They largelycontrolled the trade especially salt production; this isborne out by existing letters of patent between theSovereign and the Baron.

The last Baron of Kinderton was Peter Venables whowas buried in St Michael and All Angels church in1679.

Middlewich, CheshireA Medieval Salt Townand the Baron of KindertonKerry Fletcher, Heritage OfficerMiddlewich Town Council

Edward VI by the grace of God, King of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, and on earthSupreme Head of the English and Irish Church, to all to whom we present letters come greeting. Know thatwe of our special grace with the assent of our Dearest Uncle Edward (Duke of Somerset) Guardian of ourperson, and Protector of our Kingdoms and Lordships, have given and granted, and by the present give andgrant to our beloved subject William Venables of Middlewich and the heirs male of his body lawfullybegotten, as well not residing as residing in our town of Middlewich, aforesaid in our County Palatine ofChester, for a certain fine of Forty Shillings to be paid to us at our Exchequer of Chester license and libertyto boil and sell SALT in the same town, and also to buy and sell all manner of Merchandise, and to use themin the same town for ever, as freely and quietly as any free tenant or Burgess of ours, or of our Progenitorsof the same town, before these times in the same manner heretofore has done or has been accustomed to do;and the same William and the heirs male of his body, lawfully begotten as well as not residing as residingin the said town, we ordain, make and constitute by the presents Free Tenants and Burgesses of the saidtown. To have and to hold the license and liberty aforesaid to the aforesaid William and the heirs male ofhis body of us and our heirs Earls of Chester yearly the services and customs owed and accustomed to bedone to us in the same town by the Burgesses or free tenants there, and the aforesaid William and the heirsmale of his body lawfully begotten, by reason of boiling and selling salt, or buying and selling anymerchandise in the same town, shall not be molested or troubled in the future by us or our heirs or anyofficers on our part.In witnesses of which things we have caused there our letters to be made patent. Witness Myself at Chester the Eighth day of this Our Reign. Edward

This document is archived at Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, Chester.

1546 Seal : Photo: Cheshire West and Chester Council

Medieval records show Middlewich (Medio Wico) as alimited borough but more complex than a normalmarket town. There is an overall hierarchy controllingthe township, one of the earliest mentions of MedioWico goes back to the date of the ‘Black Prince’ withreferences to burgesses in 1288. A Grant was a right totrade in merchandise of all kinds to make salt and brewale for payment direct from the crown. The saltindustry itself generated an annual income, and hadpower of regulation with their own officials; raising

money for the upkeep of the town.The Venables family, as Barons of Kinderton, held theCourt Baron separate from the Great Court, which mettwice a year. At the three weekly courts there is nojury – generally this is payments of rents, fines forboiling salt and other business connected with the saltindustry. The Court Baron and the Court of the Fairprobably survived for pleas of debt, trespass and minornuisances.



All Middlewich ‘Judgers’ attending court at one time appearto have held or been connected with salt houses inMiddlewich, each one of the judgers bearing the name of atownship in the neighbourhood. In 1413, Middlewichdistricts were Sutton, Newton, Cranage, Occleston, Tetton,Croxton, Weaver, Kinderton, Sproston, Bostock, Waverton(Wharton), Clive, Sandbach, Magna Stanthorne, ParvaStanthorne, Brereton and Minshull Vernon. Deeming moneywas a rent-charge payable by those salt houses ‘called adeeming house’. These were regarded as ‘belonging’ to thetownships from which they took their names. Vernondescribes for example that a plot of land in Middlewichbelonging to the manor of Sandbach was a salt house, (adeeming house) and that the lord of Sandbach was a judgerin Middlewich court. From these deeming houses deemingmoney and kingsmol were paid to the King as Earl ofChester.

A Middlewich market is mentioned in 1260 fairs and faircourts on St Luke’s day 18th October and Ascension Day.Middlewich salt makers were accustomed to give 16 boilingsof salt on the Friday of each week in which they boiled saltbetween the feasts of St Martin (Nov 11th) and theascension (40th day of Easter, for 2014 this was on 1stJune). Note that the latter fair was timed at the end of saltproduction and the sale of salt for the coming wintermonths.

Another revenue stream was the toll on the payment onsales. The outside trader or dealers probably fromneighbouring communities such as Waverton or Weaver wasexpected to pay to the King, at the wiches, on cartloads,horse loads and man loads of salt bought. Vale Royal Abbeywas exempt from any charges.

The annual value of Middlewich in 1605 in salt tradeamounted to £4,000 approx.There being 107 occupied salt houses in this period. Recordsshow salt works and associated trades around half penny hill(today’s Hightown and Leadsmithy Street area) as well asWych House Lane and an area called ‘Sea Bank' on the oppo-site side of the River Croco.

Positions included The Rulers of Walling and two SeathDealers, Measures of Salt and Overseers for the Wood.These people were expected to control quantity and price,plus the extraordinary weeks walling sales were kept by theRulers of Walling to be expended on repairs of the streets ofthe school, towards lawsuits, expenses.

Seath Dealers shared out the brine and directed whenboiling could begin and end. Brine pits could only supplyenough brine for 36 salt houses for several weeks together,evidence is a brisk sale for salt in the summer and autumnat the slaughter.

An ‘extraordinary’ weeks boiling is the right or permissionto use 82 hours for ‘the walling of the whole town’ to raisesales which could be an extra of 46 shillings to 50 shillings.The sale of the salt by each salt house owner went to thetown salter who was responsible for the distribution.Evidence is that people came to buy salt from the townsalter at ‘frewichouses’. There had to be many salt housesin regular order so that one batch of salt houses may followon another in the busy season without loss of time, they didnot all operate at once.

Although Middlewich did not achieve full self-government itdid gain considerable power of self-government in terms ofindustry and positive organisation of trade, this medievalsystem collapsed with the rise of unlimited salt working inthe late 17th century and the limitation of an inland saltindustry.

One of the major changes in the salt industry is the RiverWeaver which was made Navigable in 1721. Wharton andWeaver were salt trade route and an act which was createdin 1734 to extend the navigation further into the heart ofWharton, made the townships connection stronger. Thetown of Over on the other side of the River Weaver wasoutside of the Barons reach, but the importance of the riverbecame clear and Cheshire salt by the late 17th Centurybecame a cheaper alternative to foreign imports. AlthoughWharton was considered a district of Middlewich, the landwas granted to the Vernon Family and many otherprominent families had property there, but Venablesinterests in the area remained due to trade and some veryclever marriages. Documents re-call the Wharton area asWaverton juxta Medium Wicum.

Wharton had a small population in the 17th Century, but thechanges to the River Weaver would make an impact onthose numbers. Salt works were set up in Wharton bybranches of Middlewich families keen to make money onthe banks of the River, thereby reducing their transportcosts and extend the business. By the early 19th Century thepopulation raises substantially and so too does the salt andshipping trades, which now takes salt productivity over fromMiddlewich. By now over half the population work in theindustries of salt, shipping and associated trades. Populationreturns of 1861 at the height of salt-making clearly showsthe Winsford domination over its Cheshire rivals, Over has3774, Wharton 2234, Weaver 140, Middlewich 1203,Northwich 1187.



Dungeon LaneHalton,Cheshire-Plans RefinedIain Dignall, Halton Borough Council

An historic old site hidden on the banks of theRiver Mersey has been awarded £50,000 byWREN (Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd) tocarry out ecological and environmental improvement works to thelandscape. A further £20,000 will be invested by Halton Borough Council,the custodians of the site. Whilst on the face of it this is just a smallgrant to improve walking routes, ‘The Dungeon’(likely derived from theOld English Dunge or Denge, meaning land of, or next to, the marsh)which lies within the borough of Halton, hides some intriguing andsurprising secrets.

‘The Dungeon’ is a historical old site at the bottom of Dungeon Lane onthe Dungeon banks adjacent to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. It isunkempt and litter strewn coastal outlet. But hidden amongst theflotsam and jetsam, which decorate the shore line, you can find thesealed up remains of an ancient salt refinery erected by earlyindustrialists in the late 17th century. This land was part of Ashton'srefinery estate and was almost certainly the site of a reservoir whichonce provided the water supply for the salt works. The remains of thewharf can be clearly seen, together with the foundations of the saltworks. However, the site where part of the wall has disappeared, is nowsuffering from serious erosion and damage, mainly from wave action athigh tides.

The Dungeon site is potentially of national importance, as it has avoideddevelopment and complete destruction. The Dungeon today is a shadowof its former self, mainly abused by fly tippers and 4X4 vehicles scarringthe land.

It is hoped that the improvement works to be carried out by HaltonBorough Council will breathe new life into the area, attract birdwatchers and walkers alike and protect it from further damage by the offroad vehicles. The last time the salt chambers were opened andexplored professionally was in 1994. Since that time the refinery hasremained sealed. The hope remains that the site can be officiallyrecognised as the important ecological and historical site for which it is,and the salt refinery can, perhaps, one day be restored.

Iain DignallSenior Engineer & Public Rights of Way OfficerHighways and Planning DevelopmentHalton Borough CouncilMunicipal Building, Kingsway, Widnes, WA8 7QF

The Dungeon. Photograph: Iain Dignall

Iain Dignal at The Dungeon.Photograph: Andrew Fielding

Looking across The Mersey Estuary from The Dungeon.Photograph: Andrew Fielding



LION SALT WORKS HOSTS ITS FIRST CONFERENCE

Cheshire’s newest – and possibly quirkiest – conference venueat the soon-to-be-opened Lion Salt Works at Marston, North-wich has hosted its first event.

The business facilities at Stove House 5 were given a full ‘road test’ by adelegation from Manage+ during their latest visit to the unique Northwichrestoration project. The European regeneration specialists returned to see first-hand how their £270,000 investment had contributed to the development ofStove House 5.

The striking glass-fronted building – which was originally built in 1965 wasdismantled in 2010 and has been fully rebuilt to house a conference facility onthe first floor with a café and visitors’ centre on the ground floor. It will becomethe management centre of the heritage attraction when it opens to the public inApril 2015.

Councillor Stuart Parker, Executive Member for Culture and Economy, said: “Itwas a privilege to welcome the Manage+ delegation as the first users of thefantastic conference facility at Stove House 5. The feedback from the group wasvery positive, and they were particularly impressed at the wonderful views fromthe centre over the whole Salt Works site. We hope the conference facility willbecome a major resource for businesses, community groups and otherorganisations to hold events and training.”

A European Union initiative, Manage+ supports the regeneration of formerindustrial and brownfield sites and has partners in the UK, Belgium, Netherlandsand Germany. It aims to develop sustainable and cost-effective models for themanagement of regeneration projects and ensures that the partners’ expertise isshared.http://www.manageplus.eu/en/manageplus/pilot-projects/lion-salt-works.html

Lion Salt WorksNorthwichCheshireNick Hunt, Chairman, Lion Salt Works Trust

Top to Bottom:Brine storage tank.Elevation fronting Ollershaw Lane with the re-mains of the first chimney stack.Councillor Stuart Parker (fourth from left) joinsthe Manage+ delegation outside the rebuiltStove House 5.

Above : Chris Hewitson explains the development of the different salt pans, hot houses andwarehouses to delegates of the Association of Industrial Archaeologists in October. See page 21.

http://www.manageplus.eu/en/manageplus/pilot-projects/lion-salt-works.html



The Lion Salt Works Nears Completion

The Lion Salt Works at Marston, near Northwich inCheshire is reaching the end of a major £9 millionrestoration programme to restore the site and create aunique heritage visitor attraction. Managed by CheshireWest and Chester Council the project is supported by theHeritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, Interregmanage+ project and the Lion Salt Works Trust.

The Restoration works started in 2012 with full scaffoldingof the historic Pan and Stove Houses. In order to securethe buildings’ structural condition several walls wereentirely rebuilt. This involved brick by brick dismantlingof the walls and excavation down to foundation levelbefore rebuilding. In places these had partly collapsed asthey had been built on metal plates and girders that haddisintegrated due to the corrosive effects of salt reactingwith the metal.

By May 2013 the rebuilt Stove House 5 was taking shape(Stove House 5 was dismantled in 2009, in order that itcould be entirely rebuilt as the new visitor andconference centre adopting the original location and planbut with a new concrete base). The framework for thenew structure was largely new but reuses the previousbrickwork and wood frame and panelling throughout. Thenew, striking glass-fronted building houses a conferencefacility on the first floor with a café, shop and visitors’centre on the ground floor.

The original buildings have now been restored. FromJanuary 2015 the displays and interactives will beinstalled which will allow visitors to follow the history ofthe site and discover how salt was produced. Theexperience will include a timeline of salt production inCheshire with an introduction to the geology of the site,the story of the Thompson family and the life of theworkers, a salt pan a/v experience and a recreation ofthe Red Lion public house! The site also includes achildren’s play area and butterfly garden.

Visitors will also learn about the impact of salt on midCheshire’s people, economy and landscape setting thescene for a wider exploration of the footpaths, waterwaysand attractions of the adjacent Northwich Woodlands andthe wider Weaver Valley.

Britain’s newest heritage attraction opens in April 2015bringing life back to the Lion Salt Works.

Visit www.lionsaltworks.org for a detailed account of theproject.

Steve WoolfallProject Development Officer

Museums and Arts ServiceCheshire West and Chester Council

Inside Pan House 3 The restored link bridge from thehistoric core to Stove House 5

The Lion Salt Works during restoration

www.lionsaltworks.org



Saltscape is a £1.4million landscape partnership projectmade up of the community, the public sector, voluntaryorganisations and the private sector working together tocelebrate, protect and enhance the post-industrial saltlandscape of the Weaver Valley in Cheshire, a landscapethat is rare both nationally and internationally.It will run for just over three years starting in July 2014.The Saltscape Partnership, funded by Heritage LotteryFund and Cheshire West and Chester Council seeks toreconnect people with the remarkable environment ontheir doorstep, opening up access to a range ofexperiences and ensuring long-term sustainability througha vibrant network of community groups.The rich and often unique features within the saltlandscape have developed as a result of the underlyinggeology in the area, nature establishing over millennia,man’s exploitation and management of the localresources, associated development, and naturesadaptation to the on-going changes.

The (THI) is a heritage-led regeneration project funded bythe Heritage Lottery Fund and Cheshire West and ChesterCouncil, and which focuses on the repair and restorationof many of the Town Centre’s early C20th timber framedbuildings. These buildings make a positive contribution tothe special character of the town. The project is focusedon funding improvements to the traditional timber-framedbuildings in Witton Street and High Street.The evolution of the building style and their design was towithstand ground movements caused by rock salt miningand wild brine pumping.The grant allows £870,000 to be spent on improvementsthat will make a positive contribution towards thecharacter of the area and its re-invigoration byunderpinning important local heritage, and be a welcomeboost to the local economy.Northwich’s historic timber framed buildings are whatgive the town centre its distinctive character andidentity.

SALTSCAPELANDSCAPE

PARTNERSHIP SCHEME

NORTHWICHTOWNSCAPEHERITAGEINITIATIVE

SALT of the EARTH NetworkIn 2007, the newly installed Bishop of Birkenhead (KeithSinclair) began a series of conversations with people whowere or had been working in industries which aredependent upon salt and those living within thecommunities in which those industries existed.He was concerned to hear that the industriesand their communities had becomedisconnected and so he set about trying to healthe rift: the Salt of the Earth Network is part ofthis response. The focus has been to bringpeople together to explore the issues and seewhere that dialogue leads.The Salt of the Earth Network will become anextended, disparate and self sustainingcommunity, with salt as its common motif, thatcooperates on a number of levels to discuss,deepen understanding and tackle real issuesacross a wide spectrum for the good of all.

Bishop of Birkenhead with Kerry Fletcher, MiddlewichHeritage and Sifta Sam an advertising logo for Sifta Salt.



Saltmaking has been a major process in Lincolnshire’s coastal region formillennia. From the Middle Bronze Age site at Deeping St James to theearly 17th century AD salt mounds of the Lindsey Marsh salt workers havebeen engaged in producing the White stuff in Lincolnshire using a varietyof techniques. How many sites there have been is impossible to know,given the various episodes of flooding and the sea’s resultant depositionof sediment which blankets some sites. Elsewhere, coastal erosion hasremoved all traces of sites where they are expected to have onceflourished.

Lincolnshire was at the forefront of early research into saltmaking withthe mid 19th century publication of items of briquetage from theWainfleet area, some early 1900s proto-excavations of saltmaking siteson the beaches of Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards and a real interestin the subject during the 1960s, resulting in a flurry of publications.Since then the county has benefitted from the survey work of the CarDyke Research Group, The Fenland Survey and the Humber WetlandsProjects, all locating distributions and furthering the overall study of thisfascinationg subject. Lately, Lidar-based surveys have also enhanceddistributions of the medieval salt workings by defining once and for allthe limit of the waste mounds associated with the sand-washing processintroduced sometime around the 9th -10th centuries.

While the publication of excavated and surveyed sites have beenrelatively numerous there has not been a single volume covering thewhole county and dedicated to saltmaking through time. In an attemptto rectify this Tom Lane and Heritage Lincolnshire are working to bringtogether for the first time all the data, old and new. Already thisappears to indicate a difference in technique between the Roman sitesin the Fenland and those on the Lindsey Marshes. It suggests a longcontinuation of the ‘Roman’ tradition of creeks and settling tanks, evenafter the introduction of new methods scraping and exploiting the salt-laden muds of the foreshore.

Work is ongoing in what should be a fascinating volume. Hopefully, thefinished book will be available by the middle of 2015.

A New LincolnshireSalt BookTom Lane, Ecosal-UK

Margins of the East Fen:

Historic Landscape Evolution

A provisional narrative landscapehistory by I.G. Simmons with majorcontributions by Patrick Mussett andadditional work by Meryl Foster; madepossible by the encouragement andfinancial support of the late ArthurOwen, FSA.https://www.dur.ac.uk/east-lincs-history/

The website reflects about 10 years'worth of post-retirement investigationsinto the landscape history of the areaaround Wainfleet in Lincolnshire. It triesto assemble the evidence for the periodfrom the Anglo-Saxon occupation of theland until the eighteenth century and tointerpret the history in a narrative form.

The remnants of the salt making sitesare covered in various chapters.

At March 2014, the following offshootsfrom the website have appeared or willdo so in conventional print sources:

Rural landscapes between the East Fenand the Tofts in south-east Lincolnshire1100-1500. Landscape History 34 (2013)81-90.

Creating dry land in S.E. Lindsey(Lincolnshire, England) before AD 1550.Water History, (2014) Vol 6. Issue 3.p 211-225.

Investigations at Willow Fen, 2012.

Publications by Heritage Lincolnshire fea-turing the archaeology of salt making sitesin Lincolnshire can be found on their website.http://www.lincsheritage.org/publications/archaeological_reports/index.php

https://www.dur.ac.uk/east-lincs-history/

http://www.lincsheritage.org/publications/archaeological_reports/index.php

http://www.lincsheritage.org/publications/archaeological_reports/index.php



History of Salt in CornwallExhibition at Helston MuseumFriday 27 February - 13 March 2015Dr Caradoc Peters, Programme Leader of Archaeology Programmes at Truro College, Cornwall

The Exhibition

Final year students on the Plymouth University BSc (Hons)Archaeology degree, based at Truro College in Cornwall, areputting on an exhibition on the “History of Salt in Cornwall”at Helston Museum. The exhibition will focus on the keyperiods in which salt had an important impact on life in theregion. Helston Museum hosts an excellent collection oflocal archaeology and in particular folklore and socialhistoric material. The students will draw on some of theexcellent materials that the museum already possesses fortheir display cases.

This must-see exhibition is sponsored by the Cornish Sea Saltcompany, who in addition to being a collaboratingorganisation in the South West node of Ecosal -UK, will beselling some of their products at the museum receptionthroughout the exhibition. Philip Tanswell, the ChiefOperating Officer of the company, has kindly offered toursof his salt works and technical advice on the understandingof salt production methodologies to the students. Katherine

Ashton, the curator of Helston Museum and her assistantcurator, Tracey Clowes, have provided training and thegallery space for the students. Helston Museum has been akeen and long-term partner in our regional Ecosal node too.A very strong and eager team of volunteers regularly helpthe curators. In fact, the museum’s popularity and successhas been in rapid resurgence - as their new web site andFacebook page attests http://www.helstonmuseum.co.uk/

Progress in the Wider Project

Whilst we hope for further opportunities for funding throughthe overall Ecosal project in Britain, the local South Westnode (focused on west Cornwall) has been active inexploring ways forward. Recently, there have been twovisits to the Romano-British saltworks on the Lizard, southof Helston. During the first, archaeology degree studentsfrom Truro College carried out an exploration of thegeological resources and landscape of the Trebarveth site,north of Coverack (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Students looking at an excavated Romano-British oval house on the cliff at Trebarveth.Evaporation ovens were situated within the houses. ©Caradoc Peters 2014

http://www.helstonmuseum.co.uk/



During the second, Charlie Johns of the CornwallArchaeological Unit led a group of project members,including Katherine Ashton, Tracey Clowes, Philip Tanswelland myself as programme leader of the BSc (Hons)Archaeology to the Romano-British saltworks site at EbberRocks, south of Coverack.

This second visit especially involved looking at the state ofRomano-British saltworking sites on the Lizard like EbberRocks (Figure 2), issues of conservation, protection againststorm surges (Figure 3), experimental archaeologicalreconstructions and other community activities. A furthermember of the project, Helen Marton of FalmouthUniversity has interests in the craft activities that couldemerge from this collaboration - resources andopportunities permitting.

The Lizard has at least four saltworking sites from theRoman period, two of which have been excavated. Prof.David Peacock first noted their presence in the 1960s andeven more importantly realised their significance. CharlieJohns,Senior Archaeologist with Cornwall HistoricEnvironment Service was a volunteer on the excavation ofTrebarveth. The Trebarveth excavation and the later one atCarngoon Bank were apparently instrumental in his decisionto become an archaeologist!

Above: Figure 2. Project members investigate the state ofthe Romano-British saltworking site at Ebber Rocks.©Caradoc Peters 2014

Right: Figure 3. The crumbling cliff at Ebber Rocks (likeTrebarveth – see Figure 1) is a cause for concern amongstthe project members. ©Caradoc Peters 2014



Making the Invisible Visible :Iron Age and Roman Salt Productionin southern BritainDr Sarah-Jane Hathaway

The author’s research on the techniques and nature ofprehistoric and Roman salt-production has taken manypaths. This has naturally included exploring the earliestvisible remains of salt exploitation, and the potentialreasons for this behaviour. Salt has been a part of ourdiet for millennia, and therefore the way that thismineral has embedded itself within different cultures isexceptional. Although the technology of productionvaries across time and space, the core techniques havestayed true to original techniques which were the resultof experimentation and innovation many years ago. Muchemphasis has been placed upon the material culture ofproduction, namely 'briquetage', but this research hasvery much aimed to re-balance studies by looking at thefeatures used in production, and importantly, the way thespace of the site was used as a whole (Figure 1). This alsoincludes the significance of site location in the widerenvirons.

The analysis of salt-production sites has redefined thearchaeological terminology for salt production, and hascritically evaluated how these sites have beenincorporated into the archaeological record. The re-categorisation of the archaeological remains on a site bysite basis has enabled the formation of a comprehensivedata set for the first time. This has enabled a regional

and chronological comparison of salt-production insouthern Britain to be undertaken.

The analysis has shown that despite problems ofincorrect perceptions of salt production practices,inconsistent recording and categorisation, and severe sitedamage by human and natural forces, it is possible, to‘immerse’ the evidence within concepts of ‘agency’ and‘identity’ by exploring evidence of technological choiceand use of space.

Not only has it been important to better understand thearchaeological remains, especially in studies of sites insouthern Britain where previous work has beenpiecemeal, but it is also important to understand theconsumers of salt, and the way that salt distribution wasorganised. This research addressed this by creating new'modes of salt-production' which were designed by lookingat the nature and number of 'working areas' on each site.The identification of these distinctive and diverse‘working areas’ include all the main stages of salt-production. The diversity and similarities across workingareas in time and space was a significant indicator ofindividual decisions and preferences, and enabled a muchdeeper insight into the decisions made by smaller groupsof salt workers.



Eight new modes have been created, and it is hoped thatin time these could be applied to other sites in Britain,and perhaps beyond. These modes enable a new approachabout salt-production to be made set in the wider contextof supply networks and specific consumer markets.

The identification of regional trends in the scale andorganisation of production, as well as the rich diversity ofsites, shows that producers adapted to changes in thesupply and consumption of salt over time. Considerablymore salt would have been required to supply the growingpopulation in the 1st century AD and this encouraged thecreation of many new production sites. However, thediversity in site character suggests that there was littletight control of coastal salt-production sites at that time.It is argued that instead, focus was placed upon theexploitation of salt from inland brine springs in Cheshireand Worcestershire. This is evidenced in theorganisation, technology and creation of military supplybases close to these sites.

Instead, it is argued that the Roman invasion formalisedand expanded existing supply networks from coastal salt-production sites, in addition to creating new inlandnetworks. This resulted in the creation of more formal‘production and/or distribution centres. It is alsoprobable that the emergence of uniform salt-productionsites in Somerset in the later Roman period, reflects thatthis area had become predominant for the supply of saltto major ‘consumer sites such as legionary fortresses andthe larger towns.

In summary, this new research achieved the following:

1. Critique of modern perceptions and influence onsite recording/interpretation

2. Re-balancing study by placing more emphasis onwhole site as opposed to predominantly on thematerial culture

3. Holistic and data-responsive

4. Emphasise on techniques of production

5. Emphasis on the individual and small groups, notjust generic ‘communities’

The author is very interested in ancient technologies,technological choice and particularly in using ourunderstanding of 'social use of space' and applying it toindustrial spaces in general. This is essential as industrialspaces have long been overlooked in this way, and havebeen perceived as 'lesser' spaces when compared todomestic spaces for example. It is hoped that futureresearch could address this imbalance.

This research was originally completed as a PhD in 2014 atBournemouth University and will be published in 2015within the British Archaeological Report series (BAR).

Please see the author’s academia site for furtherreferences, general information and publication updates:https://bournemouth.academia.edu/SarahJaneHathaway.The author currently works within the Greater LondonHistoric Environment Record for English Heritage andhopes to further work in the making of archaeologicaldatasets more accessible and user friendly as well aspromoting the significance of early industrial sites inarchaeological research.

Thesis reference:

Hathaway, S.J.E. 2013. Making the Invisible, Visible. IronAge and Roman Salt-Production in Southern Britain.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Faculty of Science andTechnology, Bournemouth University

2015 Forthcoming BAR:Hathaway, S.J.E. (2015). Making the Invisible, Visible.Iron Age and Roman Salt-Production in Southern Britain,British Archaeological Reports. Archaeopress



New SaltcoteHalen MônAngleseyWhen we started looking at the design of our newSaltcote, we knew it would have to be a special buildingto fit in with the surrounding Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty. So when a visitor today told us that our new roofappeared to curve into the mountains, we were veryhappy.

We started our business because we love Anglesey, so itmakes sense that we have a respect for the landscape asour business grows

You can watch how the roof was erected on a super quicktime-lapse video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgD9BbtU0w4

The Halen Mon Youtube channel has video about the saltmaking process and suggestions for how to use this uniquesalt.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fc3GxWzrao

Sometimes we get asked what the difference between HalenMôn and Anglesey Sea Salt is and if they are two differentcompanies. The answer is simple: we are one and the same.Our brand name is Halen Môn, which is the Welsh translationof “Anglesey Salt”. Our registered company name for allbusiness purposes is The Anglesey Sea Salt Company. We hopethat one day when someone says “Halen Môn”, everyone willimmediately think “Oh yes. The wonderful sea salt fromAnglesey.” But until then, we trust this short explanation willclear everything up. Halen Môn has also now been awardedProtected Designation of Origin status.

Anglesey Sea Salt Company attends numerous food showsaround the word throughout the year, but you can visit us atour on-site shop. Check out our web site in 2015 to hear aboutthe opening of the new saltcote, shop and guided tours.

The Anglesey Sea Salt Company LtdBrynsiencyn,Isle of AngleseyLL61 6TQ,Wales,UKTel: +44 (0) 1248 430871http://www.halenmon.com/

Top: New saltcote during constructionMiddle: EntranceBottom: Salt crystallisation roomPhotographs: Andrew Fielding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgD9BbtU0w4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgD9BbtU0w4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fc3GxWzrao



Recent work by West Cumbria ArchaeologicalSociety (WCAS) on behalf of the Solway WetlandsProject has produced some interesting discoveries.

It has long been identified that the Cistercianmonks who founded Holme Cultram Abbey in 1150AD relied on sea salt production for preservingmeat and fish caught locally from the Solway Firth.The evidence lies in the landscape where pondsand linear (non-natural) creeks both fed them withand drained them of salt water.

Other evidence includes place names such asSaltcotes and Seaville they are small hamletsassociated with the vast saltmarshes upon whichthese features sit.

Recently a detailed walkover exercise has identified what linkedthese ancient storage and evaporation ponds. A number oftrackways across the marshes can have been identified and someare still used today by Wildfowlers and walkers. Under closerscrutiny members of WCAS, under the direction of Mark Graham,have been able to link these trackways to the complex of pondsand creeks.

Further investigation has proven their antiquity and the evidencecomes from the structures themselves where the trackwaycrosses the many intertidal creeks. The size of creeks varies, atthe seaward edge of the marsh they are large becoming smalleras you move toward the landward edge and they form feederbranches in the same way as a river catchment works.

Manmade elements in the natural landscape usually take a linebased on the theory of ‘least resistance’ or easiest route and thiscan be seen here. Small creeks have been bridged using simplesandstone slabs to create ‘clappers’ (Fig 1) and there are largerones crossing wider creeks with beautifully dressed-stonesupports (Fig 2). These structures are undoubtedly medieval inage matching perfectly with the medieval fabric of the Abbeyand its associated buildings and surrounding granges.

This is further evidence that the industry was structured,planned and managed to provide the commodity for the lowestpossible effort thus extending their profitability.

Further work will be carried out this year to help provide the fullstory of how salt was won, manufactured and distributed withinthe landscape of the Medieval Solway.

Photographs: Mark Graham WCAS

Medieval Salt Production on the Solway:putting the pieces togetherDr Brian Irving MBE, Manager, Solway Coast AONB

Figure 1.

Figure 2. Detail of clapper bridge supports stones.

Figure 1. Clapper Bridge survey.



The Archaeology of Salt Productionin Ireland

Dr Wes Forsythe, Senior Lecturer, University of Ulster

Archaeological research on Irish salt production isunderdeveloped and to address this, a two-year project hasbeen initiated by the Centre for Maritime Archaeology, basedat the University of Ulster. Funded by the Arts andHumanities Research Council, the project is the first of itskind to undertake an archaeological review of all salt makingsites located around the Irish coast and to undertake anexcavation at one of the key sites – Ballycastle in Co. Antrim.

The archaeology of Irish salt is not well understood and itpresents a number of challenges in comparison with Britain.For example, some of the key periods where British saltwould be evidenced by briquetage are largely aceramic inIreland. However there is also the possibility that at leastsome of the evidence has not been recognised previously andin the past decade briquetage associated with Bronze Agesites has emerged from Meath and Dublin in the east of thecountry. Equally, while documentary and annalistic evidencepoints to medieval salt-making, there is little excavatedevidence.

Crucially, the monastic cartularies so valuable forreconstructing British activity are largely lost. By the end ofthe medieval period Ireland had developed a trade in saltedbeef and fish - to what degree the salt used was sourcedlocally is not known. Employing the principle ‘begin withwhat you know and work from there’, the project isidentifying the post-medieval sites around the country. Bythe beginning of the 17th century Ireland was definitelyproducing salt on at least a small scale.

However, there were geological impediments to production –Irish sources of rock salt were not discovered until themid-19th century, leaving production to focus on lessefficient sea water extraction. In addition Ireland was lackingthe key commodity of the Industrial revolution – coal. Thelocations of the 17th century works would tend to reinforcethe importance of fuel – Ballycastle is on one of the rare Irishcoalfields, and Slade in Co. Wexford enjoyed close links withSouth Wales from where coal was already being imported forthe nearby Hook lighthouse.

In the 18th century the tax levied on imported English rocksalt was lifted, resulting in the process becoming much moreefficient and a great expansion in salt making activity atdiverse locations around the coast. Many towns developedsmall salt works servicing the fishing industry, the largerports involved in exports to Britain and her colonies producedsalt on a larger scale; e.g. Cork had some 50 works operatingin the 19th century. In some cases lime- or kelp-burning wascarried out in combination with salt-making. The project hastargeted coastal lime kilns with this in mind, however to dateonly Killough in Co. Down has produced evidence forsupporting what may have been pans over the kiln. In 1825the taxes and duties on all salt were lifted rendering the Irishtrade less competitive. Many refineries went into swiftdecline, but in Ulster the industry was revived with thediscovery in 1850 of rock salt deposits at Carrickfergus, Co.Antrim. This business continued to expand until 1915 when itfailed to compete with new methods of manufacture inCheshire.

There are fine upstanding remains of a salt worksat Ray, Donegal. Two salt houses are presentalong the shore, of which the older, more southerlysite is the best preserved. Marked ‘Ruins of SaltPans’ on the 1830s OS maps, it features threemain rooms with an annex featuring a fireplace(likely accommodation for the salt master). Theseaward room most likely held a tank for waterand pumping apparatus – an aperture in the wallrevealing where it was transferred to the adjacentpans room.



To date the project has visited some 100 sites across thecountry – survival rates are relatively poor, with many inurban locations re-developed or destroyed. Others liecollapsed and abandoned or only partially surviving. A fewstructures are upstanding and allow some interrogation oftheir morphology. These include not only the salt worksbuilding, but often the associated dwelling house of the saltmaster and other infrastructure such as quays etc.

Excavation at Ballycastle successfully located the 17thcentury salt works structure in the vicinity of a rock-cut seawater reservoir (or ‘bucket pot’). Plentiful coal wasrecovered, as well as evidence of metal working and mealson site; however the excavated building was materiallyimpoverished and poorly built suggesting a faltering start tothe post-medieval industry on an inhospitable part of theshoreline.

Getting to grips with the archaeology of Irish salt has beenboth exhilarating and challenging – despite the frustrationsassociated with poor rates of survival, progress hasundoubtedly been made. It is clear at this mid-way point inthe project that there will be sufficient work for salt-mindedIrish archaeologists for a considerable period into the future.

For more information on the Archaeology of Salt productionin Ireland see the project website at:http://saltarch.wordpress.com/

Excavations at Ballyreagh, looking west with the bucketpot on the top right of the photograph.Photograph by Colin Williams.



SALTFLEETGALA DAY

The salt making demonstration day inAugust at Saltfleet Gala wasdisappointing. Having built the hearthon a sunny Saturday afternoon inpreparation for the demonstration daywe were aware of the dreadful weatherforecast given for the following day.The whole country was braced for theaftermath of hurricane Bertha.

On the Sunday clouds were developingand the wind picking up as we lit thefire at 9.30am - the brine heated upand by 10.30 salt crystals werebeginning to form. But that was thebest of the day and as the wind gotstronger the rain began sweeping acrossthe field in torrents..... At 11am theSaltfleet Gala Day was cancelled!

Our salt hearth is built with bricks, butrepresents a clay hearth which mighthave supported clay pans found atIngoldmells, Lincolnshire.

The event was organised by HeritageLincolnshire for the LincolnshireCoastal Marshes Grazing Project todemonstrate traditional industries ofthe area. A video of the first part of ourday can be found on the HallenffrindYoutube channel.http://youtu.be/TfA0Mb3L_zI

Whilst a fly-over of lidar imagery of thecoastal marshes area can be seen athttp://youtu.be/zZjqzcMFXi8

AIA 2014 CONFERENCEChester University

In October Ecosal-UK’s Andrew Fieldinggave three talks about Cheshire’s salthistory at the Association for IndustrialArchaeology annual conference. Theprinciple talk featured the uniqueframed buildings of Northwich designedto withstand ground movement causedby rock salt mining and brine pumping.Andrew also led a tour of Cheshire saltlandscapes which was the final tour ofthe conference.

Delegates first visited NantwichMuseum to view the displays featuringlead salt pan and wooden medieval 'saltship' where they were met by MuseumTrustee, Graham Dodd.

Then a tour of the derelict, electricbrine pump a part of Murgatroyd's SaltWorks was hosted by MiddlewichHeritage Officer, Kerry Fletcher beforedeparting for lunch at The Big Lock pubon the Trent and Mersey Canal.

The first visit after lunch was Ashtonand Neumanns Flashes. Today a popularand well used country park the are wasformed by the collapsed rock salt minesthat were later filled with lime waste.The final call was to the Lion Salt Worksat Northwich, where we were given aguided tour by Chris Hewitson to viewthe final stages of restoration beforethe museum is fitted out.

BBC Radio 4Open Country

In September BBC Radio 4 made a halfhour programme about the Cheshiresalt landscape. Interviewer FelicityEvans and Producer Mark Smalley ofOpen Country visited the area to de-scribe the history and heritage ofCheshire salt making.

Taking part were Andrew Fielding ofEcosal-UK, Kerry Fletcher, HeritageOfficer at Middlewich Town Council andChris Hewitson archaeologist at theLion Salt Works. Mark and Felicity latermade a visit underground to theWinsford rock salt mine operated bySalt Union, a Compass and Mineralscompany.

The starting point was the country parkcreated around the remains ofcollapsed rock salt mines at Ashton'sand Neumann's Flashes between thetown centre of Northwich, the Lion SaltWorks at Marston on the Trent andMersey Canal, River Weaver and the theAnderton Boat lift that links the canaland the river.

The visits by Open Country and theAssociation for Industry Archaeologydemonstrate that their is a broadinterst in the UK’s salt heritage.

The programme is available on the BBCi-player for twelve months afterbroadcast.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dqngr

Another programme about the historyof salt was recorded by BBC Radio 4 inDecember for broadcast in January2015. Details will be posted on Ecosal-UK Facebook and blog sites.

http://youtu.be/TfA0Mb3L_zI

http://youtu.be/TfA0Mb3L_zI

http://youtu.be/zZjqzcMFXi8

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dqngr



Preserving the History and Heritage of Traditional Salt Making

and its Associated Culture

DIARYMembers can advertise their events here. Please join Ecosal-UK and letis know about your salt themed events. We will also publicise themthrough our Blog and Facebook sites.To get started these are some of the events we know of so far for 2015.

2015January, 2015BBC Radio 4Salt making history programme produced by Geoff Bird, Narrated bySteph McGoven this will visit the Winsford Rock Salt Mine, Halen Mon,Lion Salt Works and feature the Ecosal-UK salt network. Should bebroadcast about 11am. Details on our blog site and Facebook pages.

27 February - 13 March, 2015Helston Museum, CornwallA History of Salt in Cornwallhttp://www.helstonmuseum.co.uk/

3 April, 2015Lion Salt Works, Northwich, CheshireProvisional opening date of the conserved and consolidated open pansalt works formerly operated by the Thompson family.http://lionsaltworks.org/news/

17 May, 2015Salt SundayA Celebration of Salt - From Brine to Beef: salt in the food chain.At Reaseheath College, Nantwich, Cheshire.Organised by the Salt of the Earth network.http://www.saltoftheearthnetwork.net/index.html

12-13 September, 2015Droitwich Salt FestivalDroitwich Spa Salt-Fest started in 2006 to celebrate the town’s uniquesalt heritage. Since then the event has grown considerably taking placeacross the whole town centre and attracting thousands of visitors.Whilst the salt heritage and Romans are still important aspects, theevent has now become a showcase for the town, businesses andcommunity. Many local groups take part running stalls and organisingactivities whilst the music showcase features young and up and cominglocal performers.http://saltfest.co.uk/

2015 Dates to be ConfirmedMiddlewich and Winsford Salt Festivals

HS2 RailWatch out for confirmation details of the proposed northern routes ofthe High Speed Rail Route - HS2. Initial routes suggest impact on earlysalt making sites at Stafford and between Winsford and Middlewich.

JOINTHE UK SALT NETWORK

Please visit our web site or email for details abouthow to subscribe to the UK Salt Network.We have rates for individuals organisations andcorporate subscriptions which will give youopportunities to take part in our activities atreduced rates including:

● an annual conference to hear about researchinto all aspects of our salt heritage

● links to all members of our Salt Network andthe EU partners of the Atlantic Route ofTraditional Salt Making

● newsletter● local Salt Network groups● notification of news, events and activities

Please send us articles, news, notes and your eventsfor inclusion in Saltcote and through our blog siteand Facebook page.Features on Scottish salt making sites and atLymington, Hampshire in the next newsletter -Saltcote No.3, 2015.

Knit yourself an Ecosal-UK sweater. What would yourdesign look like? This one was designed and knitted byAnnelise Fielding.Possibly coming to a salt lecture near you soon.

About Ecosal-UKEcosal-UK is a not for profit company

Limited by guaranteeRegistered in England No. 08652326

[email protected]

www.ecosal-uk.org.uk

www.facebook.com/ecosaluk

www.ecosaluk.blogspot.co.uk

twitter @ecosal_uk

www.youtube.com/halenffrind

Saltcote is edited by Andrew FieldingThe editor does not necessarily endorse the opinions of the contributors

Copyright Ecosal-UK, individual authors and photographers

http://www.helstonmuseum.co.uk/

http://lionsaltworks.org/news/

http://www.saltoftheearthnetwork.net/index.html

http://saltfest.co.uk/




Saltcote 2014 no2

Documents

Transcript of Saltcote 2014 no2