BBC Radio 4 - Open Country - 21 August 2014

BBC Radio 4 - Open Country

BBC Radio 4 programme Open Country talks about Cheshire Salt on Thursday 21 August 2014 at 15.00
repeated Saturday 23 August at 6.05am.
Felicity Evans taks to Andrew Fielding, Ecosal-UK; Kerry Fletcher, Midlewich Town Council Heritage Office; Chris Hewitson, Cheshire West and Chester, Lion Salt Works and goes below ground to the Winsford Rock Salt Mine, Compass and Minerals.

Salt Making at Saltfleet - Rained Off - 10 August 2014

Our demonstration day at Saltfleet was disappointing. Having built the hearth on a sunny Saturday afternoon in preparation for the demonstration day we were aware of the dreadful weather forecast given for the following day.  The whole country was braced for the aftermath of hurricane Bertha.
On the Sunday clouds were developing and the wind picking up as we lit the fire at 9.30am - the brine heated up and by 10.30 salt crystals were beginning to form. But that was the best of the day and as the wind got stronger the rain began sweeping across the field in torrents..... At 11am the Saltfleet Gala Day was cancelled!
Our salt hearth is built with bricks, but represents a clay hearth which might have supported clay pans found at Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire
Video to follow -

Each salt pan would have been supported in three clay pedistals.

Balls of wet clay allowed each pan to be set horizontally.

The first salt crystals forming in the clay salt pans.

  

Saltmaking Demonstration - Saltfleet - 10 August 2014

We shall be using our replica Ingoldmells Roman ceramic salt pans on Sunday 10 August at the Saltfleet Gala Day, Lincolnshire.
We will be part of the Heritage Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire Coastal Marsh Grazing Project displays.