Do you ever wonder how charcoal is made? or how hops are grown processed and used in flavouring in beer? This section provides the story behind the product, explaining how a raw material from the High Weald countryside is turned into a useful product.

From wood to charcoal Charcoal burning is one of the world's oldest crafts dating back to pre-Roman times. It has a long history in the High Weald, being used in the production of iron from the time of the Roman occupation. Read more

From hops to beer Hops have been cultivated in the High Weald since the sixteenth century. Hopped ale or beer was popular for both its taste and superior keeping qualities and, as trade flourished, so hop gardens, oasthouses and breweries. Today only a handful of hop gardens and breweries remain and most oasthouses have been converted to residential use. Read more

Coppice Industry Coppice woodland is an important habitat because many British flowering plants, mammals and insects thrive under the coppice management system and many rarer species are now only found in working coppice.  In the past coppice has been an important renewable source of wood but as timber extraction has become more industrialized and competition from sources abroad has grown, Read more