Edwardian Farm (2010)
S01E05 January
Episode Overview
Title: January Plot: Archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn explore a nearby copper mine that once fueled the prosperity of Morwellham Quay. In the 19th century, Devon revealed Europe's largest copper deposit, transforming Morwellham into Britain's busiest inland port. However, as expenses rose and foreign competition increased, the mining industry began to falter. Innovative local farmers adapted by practicing 'fossicking'—scavenging for copper by breaking rocks above ground—and creating precipitation tanks to recover copper from mine runoff. Meanwhile, historian Ruth Goodman immerses herself in the craft of lacemaking in Honiton, a town celebrated for its exquisite lacework. At one point, half of East Devon's population was engaged in this delicate trade. Additionally, the duo ventures into Cornwall’s tin mining, an industry that continued until the last mine shuttered in 1998. The work is perilous; they manually drill blast holes and handle tools known ominously as 'the widow-maker.'
