The Dorset Alum & Copperas Project. (funded by English Heritage) Alum and copperas were important chemicals used in the dyeing of cloth, in tanning, and in the manufacture of ink. The alum and copperas industry in Britain began in the Poole Harbour and Kimmeridge area in the 16th century and represents the birth of the chemical industry in this country. The early alum and copperas industries in England were established in Poole around the middle of the 16th century. Documentary evidence gives some insight into the foundation of this industry. It is known that there was an active copperas industry comprising several works in and around Poole during the period 1564 – 1610 and another copperas works operated on Brownsea Island from about 1655 to 1704. An alum works was established at Kimmeridge near Poole early in the 17th century but only operated a few years. The nature and location of the raw materials, precise siting of the works, and the processes used, are in some cases, still not fully understood. Sir William Clavell started to produce alum at Kimmeridge in 1605, using the Kimmeridge shale as raw material and also as fuel. Unfortunately, his works were closed down by King James I, as alum was claimed as a royal monopoly. Not long after, in about 1613, he obtained permission to start making alum again and built two alum plants and also a stone pier. In 1617, the works were again closed down by the Crown and the alum works dismantled. Sir William Clavell made no further attempts to start an alum industry and turned to glass-making instead. The excavation in 2009 was carried out to investigate the features recorded by Dr David Brachi when the toilets were built in 1976. We believe these may be the remains of one of the two alum houses dismantled in 1617. EXCAVATION REPORTS  Interim Reports now posted - see Reports Kimmeridge Fieldwork - 8th - 15th February 2010 (photo diary) Studland excavation 1st - 8th September 2009 (photo diary)    Brownsea Island excavation - May 2008 (photo diary)