From the “First Definitive List of Cumbrian Sites of Iron Mines and Smelt Sites, January 1997” by Mike Davies-Shiel in The Cumbrian Industrialist, Volume 1, 1998
Sites are graded on a 1-5 scale, where 5 would mean that it is barely recognisable.
1* indicates a site of national importance. Dem indicates that a site has been demolished.
Stringhearths are defined here as those early water-powered sites that used wheels to drive the bellows only, to increase hearth temperatures.
Bloomsmithies – the next evolution – used waterpower for both the smelting of the ores and to power the tilt hammer. By practice they found they had to use two waterwheels, one over- and one under-shot respectively, for the two functions.
Most bloomsmithies’ owners also ventured into the manufacture of smallwares, tools, wire, etc – as bloomforges – but it is very hard to prove which sites did this in the field.
N.B.The list does not include bloomsmithies and bloomforges which were converted to finery/chafery forges in the blast furnace era (after 1711).
Stringhearths | Location | Grade | Notes |
Blackmoss Pot | NY26751155 | 2 | Bldg + race on E bank of beck |
Stake Pass Foot | NY26350980 | 4 | Flood wrecked |
Gaterigghow | NY10900403 | 2 | Small mill pond to E of large mound |
Irton Hall | NY10520090 | Dem | Demolished by farmer 1992, much ore |
Beck Leven | SD31029526 | 1* | 1331-1537. Ore dropped on shore |
Hob Gill | SD32609158 | 2 | Forestry Comm. re-used, and very old dam |
Low Dale Park | SD35009160 | 2 | Pre 1608 used lime fluxes |
Beck Side Colton | SD31478591 | 2 | Saved supports, farm building, 1606 |
Little Mill | SD31778478 | 2 | |
Skowbarrow | SD34558857 | 1 | Working c.1530AD |
Burn Knotts | SD33008650 | 4 | Small dam due north |
Harebridge Ho | SD3785814- | 4 | Leats ex 2 becks. Glassy slag |
Bloomsmithies | Type | Location | Grade | Dates | Notes |
Brougham, Penrith | Bloomsmithy | NY53669291 | 4 | 1619-1649 | see CW2, 1991 |
Blencarn, Penrith | Bloomsmithy | NY65593132 | 1* | 1667-? | |
Stubs Gill, Distington | Bloomsmithy | NY01822292 | 3 | 17thC | used coal/coke fuel |
Brigham, Keswick | Bloomsmithy | NY28622413 | 4 | 1624-1724+ | |
Cleator no.1 | Bloomsmithy | NY01501315 | 4 | -1670-1688+ | |
Smithymire, Borrowdale | Bloomsmithy | NY27381303 | 4 | ?-1760+ | 14thC Furness Abbey site |
Holme Forge, Beckermet | Bloomsmithy | NY01850643 | 2 | ? | |
Muncaster Forge | Bloomsmithy | SD14279892 | 4 | 1636-1720 | end date by pottery |
Fell Foot | Bloomsmithy | NY29700313 | 4 | -1624-1750? | |
Woodland, Torver | Bloomsmithy | SD24809084 | 3 | -1592-1752 | Scherwinge family |
Holly Forge, Rusland | Bloomsmithy | SD33739080 | 4 | 1617-? | |
Cunsey no.2 | Bloomsmithy | SD37739356 | 4 | -1623-1715 | |
Graythwaite Old Hall | Bloomsmithy | not yet found | 1543-? | Robert Blumer in 1543 | |
Natland Forge, Kendal | Bloomforge | SD51909082 | 3 | -1750-1787 | THE John Wilkinson here |
Smithy Beck, Lowick | Bloomsmithy | not yet found | c1770 | A Russell site | |
Beckfoot, Duddon | Bloomsmithy | SD19348988 | 4 | ? | |
Thorphinsty, Winster | Bloomsmithy | SD41558582 | 4 | ? | |
Ulpha Forge | Bloomsmithy | SD19599174 | 4 | 1625-1688+ | Mr.Hudleston’s forge |
Backbarrow Forge | Bloomforge | SD35608472 | 4 | -1606-1711 | ?rebuilt 1685 |
Sedgwick/Levens Forge | Bloomforge | SD50608649 | 4 | 1723-1816+ | Bar from Norway, Spain |
Parkside, Millom | Bloomsmithy | SD17008256 | Dem | -1668-19thC | see CW2 26 142 |
Penny Br Low Smithy | Bloomsmithy | SD30828376 | 3 | 1671-? | |
Coniston Forge | Bloomsmithy | see CW2 lxxxix 187-206 | |||
Sparkbridge Forge | Bloomsmithy | SD30508496 | Dem | -1710-1788 | rebuilt 1798 as bloomforge |
Stott Park Smithy | Bloomsmithy | SD37258831 | 4 | 1567-1722 | |
Witherslack | Bloomsmithy | cSD3486 | ?1628-1641+ | ||
Lindale Forge | Bloomsmithy | cSD4180 | 1629-1719 | Canny family | |
Milnthorpe Forge | Bloomsmithy | SD49658118 | 4 | c1620-1683 | paper mill |
Dalton Forge, Furness | Bloomforge | SD225738 | Dem | -1676-1776 | then foundry – 19thC |
Keerholme Forge | Bloomsmithy | SD56027436 | 4 | 1685-1798 | Par. Reg. confirms end.In Lancs by 5ft |
(Page created 05/05/09. Last updated 01/12/14)
The locations of Ulpha Forge and Lindale Forge were revised in December 2014