Not an ideal day, despite the high spring temperatures across the whole of the UK, our part of the Lincolnshire coast was blanketed in a thick sea mist. So we spent the whole day trying to keep warm, whilst inland people basked in temperatures of 23 degrees.
The soft sand was not the best ground to dig a trench, but we did manage to make some salt crystals by the mid afternoon. This was the first time we had used peat as a fuel. It did really well, giving a slow steady heat without flaring up and over heating the ceramic salt pans. We used two types of pan - one set based on a type found at Ingoldmells, near Skegness, that used hot air ducted underneath the pans, and another pair of small pans with peat burning directly underneath them.
There was a good mix of specialist visitors who already new a bit about salt making and members of the public who found our demonstration by accident because they were visiting the beach with their dog or their children (or both). Youtube - Salt Making at Anderby Creek
Our next demonstration is at Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall over the night of 19-20 May, as part of their 'Museums at Night' event for 2012.
Display panels produced by Archaeological Project Services to describe evidence of salt making uncovered by their archaeological work at different sites.
Transforming a section of the beach into a salt making site.
Checking the salt and monitoring the temperature.
Salt made during the demonstration, which lasted from 10.30 to 16.00
The dismantled salt hearths with remains of the ceramic floors and pedestals that were used to support the salt pans.
Two small salt pans (left) and eight 'Ingoldmells' type ceramic salt pans cleaned and ready to pack up and take home at the end of the Anderby Creek demonstration day.
