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LEVINGTON,
SUFFOLK.
The
coprolite discovered in the crag at Felixstowe in the early 1840s became a much
sought after mineral for the manufacture of superphosphate, the new fertiliser
of the 19th century. (White, (1844), 'History of Suffolk') Research by the
local historian, Walter Tye, pointed out that they had been used in this area
for many generations.
“A
”In a Farmers Yard in Levington, clofe on the left as you enter from Levington into the faid Chapel Field of Stratton Hall, was dug the firft Crag of Shell that have been found ufeful for improving the land in this and other Hundreds in
the neighbourhood. For though it appears from Books of Agriculture, that the
like manure has long been ufeful in the Weft of England,
it was not ufed here till this Difcovery
was cafually made by one Edmund Edwards, about the
year 1718. This man, being covering a Field with Muck out of his yard, and
wanting a load of two to finifh it, carried fome of the Soil that laid near the Muck, tho‘ it looked to him no better than Sand; but obferving the Crop to be beft
where he laid that, he was from thence encouraged to carry more of it the next
year; and the sucess he had, encouraged others to do
the like." There is no need for me to explain that Edmund Edwards‘ discovery was soon broadcast throughout south-east
(Walter Tye, 'Birth of Fertilizer Industry, 1930, Fisons
Journal, p4.)
It is unknown whether the coprolites were exploited in this
parish. There is the possibility that they were worked on land farmed by John
Dawson of Nacton. In the 1861 census he described himself
as a “Farmer and Merchant of 1,600 acres
in Nacton and Levington employing 40 men and 9 boys.”
(Suff.R.O. Nacton’s 1861
census)
Fisons, one of
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