Monument record MDR5173 - Barlow Brook furnace (site of), Barlow
Type and Period (8)
- SLAG HEAP (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FORGE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FURNACE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- BLAST FURNACE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- CORN MILL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- SMELTERY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- Ironworks (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- COKE OVEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
Early in the 17th century, blast furnaces were put up at Barlow. (1) The Earl of Shrewsbury "was the owner of smithies at Barlow, near Chesterfield … in 1588, and at the beginning of the next century he erected a closed furnace there. Arther Mower, who was at one time bailiff to the Barleys at Barley Hall, entered in his diary:- 'The rearing of the furnace at Barley Smithies was on Monday being in the 3 Jac. I 19 Aug. 1605 … The first sow of iron that was drawn there was of Thursday at morning about spring of the day, being 27 March 1606 …'". (2)
[Area centred SK 3475 7535] Local tradition states that the furnaces lay on Barlow Brook between Smeltinghouse and Furnace Lanes. (3) From at least the 13th century, forges and workings are recorded for Barlow, among other places. (4) Barlow Brook is the location of an ancient ironworks. An iron forge is recorded in 1578 and a new furnace (1605) was probably shut down by the end of the 17th century. In 1951 Dr R A Mott reported that the ruins of a charcoal iron furnace were visible, but these were bulldozed away when slag heaps were removed. Ancient slag heaps remain, and a rank of beehive coke ovens, and ruins of later blast furnaces whose provenance has not been traced. (5)
A furnace was established on Barlow Brook by the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury in 1605-6, with an associated forge. The latter had become a cornmill by the 1650s but the furnace survived and in 1693 was leased for 11 years to John Jennens of Erdington Hall, Warwickshire. This appears to be the last reference to the site, which does not appear in any of the 18th century lists. The site is indicated today by the name Furnace Lane, where structural remains were reported in about 1950, which have since been cleared away. Burdett does not mark a mill site of any kind at the point where Furnace Lane crosses the brook. (7, 8)
Sources/Archives (10)
- <1> SDR15405 Article in serial: Jenkins, R. 1933-34. 'Historical notes on some Derbyshire industries', Transactions of the Newcomen Society. pp 163-177. p 164.
- <2> SDR15920 Bibliographic reference: Lander, J H & Vellacott, CH. 1907. 'Industries: Iron', in The Victoria County History of Derbyshire, Vol. II. pp 356-362. p 358.
- <3> SDR6514 Personal Observation: F1 WW 26-APR-60.
- <4> SDR10777 Bibliographic reference: Hart, C (NDAT). 1981. The North Derbyshire Archaeological Survey to AD 1500. p136.
- <5> SDR10751 Bibliographic reference: Nixon, F. 1969. The Industrial Archaeology of Derbyshire. p227.
- <6> SDR10882 Index: NDAT. 0229. 0229.
- <7> SDR13533 Bibliographic reference: Riden, P. 1985. A Gazetteer of Charcoal Blast Furnace Sites in Great Britain in use since 1660.
- <8> SDR13527 Unpublished document: Riden, P. 1982. The Charcoal Iron Industry in the East Midlands - A Gazetteer of Sites.
- <9> SDR7228 Article in serial: Hopkinson, G G. 1961. 'The charcoal iron industry in the Sheffield region 1500-1775', 'Transaction of the Hunter Archaeol. Soc.. Volume 8 (parts 1 to 3), pp 122-151.
- <10> SDR9128 Article in serial: Mott, R A. 1949-51. 'Early ironmaking in the Sheffield area', Transactions of the Newcomen Society. Volume 27. p 235.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 347 754 (745m by 233m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | BARLOW, NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR1400
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 17 2011 4:17PM