305. The supply of fuel for post-medieval metal industries

Fuels for metallurgical and other industrial uses were derived from wood or from coal. The wood-based fuels comprised charcoal, white coal (kiln-dried wood) and fire-wood. Mineral coal was used either as mined or as coke. Over the post-medieval period there was a shift to coal, either due to the cost of suitable wood, or to inherent attractions of innovative coal-using processes.