The Rotherham Plough
The Rotherham or Yorkshire Plough invented by Disney Stanyforth and Joseph Foljambe was an improvement on the traditional plough. It was constructed of wood like the standard plough but the fittings and coulter (cutting blade) were made of iron and the mouldboard and ploughshare were covered in iron plates. It was lighter than the traditional plough and could be easily worked with a pair of horses.
It was patented in 1730 when it was described as the Rotherham Swing Plough. Although this was not the first iron plough it combined sufficient innovations to make it a commercial success. The plough came into general use outside the Rotherham area in the 1760s and was produced by the Foljambe's factory on a large scale. With some adjustments for local conditions and later improvements, it was in use until the advent of the tractor.