Grosse Forge d'Aube Museum

The museum at Paddle in Normandy is one of the best places in Europe at which to observe the Walloon forge method of making wrought-iron, from which evolved the finery-and-chafery process. Ironworkers from this region took the blast furnace to England in the late 15th century. The Aube furnace made wrought-iron from the mid-16th century until the 19th century, when the premises were used for working copper, but most of the original plant remained and more has been revealed through archaeological excavations. Within the 20 X 10 m timber-framed building are the substantial remnants of finery hearths, a chafery hearth and a forge hammer, one of whose supporting pillars is 8m high and projects above the roof, and whose horizontal beam is 18 m long.

Grosse Forge d'Aube Museum
Musee de la Grosse Forge d’Aube
Rue de la vieille Forge
61270 Aube
France
+33 (0) 233 - 341495
Homepage