Monument record MDR9598 - Eagle Foundry (site of), Becksitch Lane, Cowhill, Belper

The site is shown as 'Eagle Foundry (Iron & Brass)' on a late 19th century OS map with 'Brick Works' and 'Kiln' shown at the southern end of the site. It is subsequently shown as 'Eagle Iron Works' on an OS map at the end of the 19th century and on early and mid 20th century OS maps. (1, 2, 3, 4) The foundry closed in 1970, and the plant was taken over by Silkolene Ltd for storage purposes. Some of the equipment, including the cupola, early cranes and lighting equipment remained intact at the time of the closure. (5, 6) The Smedley Brothers transferred from their ironworks on Queen Street, Belper, to the Eagle Foundry, Becksitch Lane, in 1858. The Eagle Foundry specialised in the production of large items such as grinding mills, clay mills (used in the manufacture of bricks), and boilers and parts for steam engines. They also manufactured lamp-posts for many cities and supplied columns and girders for the piers at several seaside resorts. (7) In 1855 the Eagle Iron Foundry was started by Smedley Bros when they purchased a brick works on Becksitch Lane. The works have now been demolished and replaced by housing. (8) The Eagle Foundry on Becksitch Lane, Belper, not only made heavy castings for brickmaking and other machines, but the southern end of their holding accommodated a brick works which was active in the 1880s, but appears to have been overtaken by their main activities before the first World War. It was accessed via Quarry Road. The works extracted mudstones between the Ashover and Chatsworth Grits. (9)