Monument record MDR6234 - The Adelphi Ironworks (site of), Duckmanton, Sutton Cum Duckmanton
Type and Period (1)
- IRON WORKS (Georgian - 1775 AD to 1800 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
The remains of Duckmanton Ironworks are visible as lumps of masonry amidst the hillocks. Dates to c.1800, but threatened in 1960 by mining. (1, 2)
The important Adelphi Ironworks of Ebenezer Smith & Sons, 1775-1836, has largely disappeared under the present railway complex. One remaining building at SK428715 has been partially converted into a dwelling, of two storeys, with some cast-iron windows. It may have been the joiners' (or pattern makers') shop. (3)
The Adelphi Works was worked by Ebenezer Smith (1756-1827) and his family and was established in or around 1760 to produce munitions for the army and the East India Company. Cannon and shot were manufactured for use in the American War of Independence (1775-1783). There were two blast furnaces capable of producing around 900 tons per annum. It had its own coal mines, and above the coal was the ironstone seam. A Newcomen steam pumping engine between the mine and the furnaces drained the coal seams and provided water for the canal. The canal opened in 1799 and transported one and a half-ton loads the half mile to the Inkersall road. From here a combination of pony and steam-powered haulage on inclines was used to transport goods to the Chesterfield Canal at Norbriggs. The Adelphi Canal went out of use in 1850. In 1845 the works was sold to Stanton Ironworks. New furnaces were built on the site, but the mines and surrounding land were soon returned back to agriculture. (4)
Sources/Archives (4)
- <1> SDR11108 Index: NDAT. 1841. 1841.
- <2> SDR19111 Index: Council for British Archaeology (CBA). CBA Industrial Archaeology Report Card. Duckmanton Ironworks.
- <3> SDR10751 Bibliographic reference: Nixon, F. 1969. The Industrial Archaeology of Derbyshire. p 251.
- <4> SDR18793 Unpublished document: Bridgewater, A. 1991. A History of the Adelphi Iron Works (Duckmanton).
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 42759 71427 (377m by 295m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | SUTTON CUM DUCKMANTON, NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR3418
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Nov 18 2021 2:25PM