Democracy Street is a heritage / environmental blog from Simon Baddeley. Of particular interest is his recent post on Visiting Soho Foundry and the plans to preserve and restore it.

"The Soho Manufactory and the Soho Foundry were part of a Silicon Valley of the 18th century drawing people from over the world to work and live. Matthew Boulton and James Watt needed the foundry to build the steam engines to power the engines of mass production of buttons, buckles,toys, silverware, ormolu and the minting of coins and medals at their Manufactory."

Photo by Ted Rudge

I didn't even know this place existed!

via Bham Conservation Trust