Water-Power Mills of South Lakeland

Description

About the Book:
Although Mike Davies-Shiel had written and co-authored several books, the best known being his own Watermills of Cumbria and The archaeology of the Lake Countieswith Dr. John Marshall, his 30 years of research and fieldwork to update John Somervell’s book on Water Power Mills of South Westmorland remained in many files full of copious notes, cuttings and photographs, awaiting the ‘time to write it all up’.
These chapters were found, by his wife and son, on his computer after his untimely death. They give a good indication of the social interest, accuracy and enormity of the task he had set himself. He brings to life the people who for centuries have worked to derive a living from the power of the headwaters and tributaries of the great River Kent.
This book represents half a life time’s meticulous research and fieldwork. It is an irreplaceable historical document and will provide inspiration for local historians and archaeologists for many generations to come.

About the Author:

MICHAEL Davies-Shiel, BSc., FRGS, 1929-2009, was well known throughout Cumbria as an industrial archaeologist and for his popular and inspiring courses and illustrated talks on a wide range of subjects, including the many diverse woodland industries, iron smelting, gunpowder making, alpine flora, potash kilns, the woollen industry and the Vikings in Lakeland.
A geography and geology teacher by profession, he volunteered in 1960 to take part in the New Land use Survey, developing new ways of showing fellside vegetation and mapping most of the then county of Westmorland. Later he pioneered the new subject of environmental studies at his school.
Early retirement allowed him to develop his twin talents of patient, persistent trawling through old records and the ability to relate the documentary evidence to what he saw on the ground in his regular and extensive field work explorations. His meticulous fieldwork records were always accompanied by his own detailed photographs.