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Old Furnace Blast Furnace is a post-medieval and modern industrial monument in Wales, protected by Cadw under reference MM197. The furnace was constructed on bedrock of Lower Devonian sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded deposits formed in the Early Devonian period. This geological foundation provided a stable base for the substantial masonry structure required to withstand the intense heat and pressure of blast furnace operations.
Blast furnaces of this type represented a significant advance in iron smelting technology, enabling the production of cast iron on an industrial scale. The furnace would have required reliable supplies of ore, fuel, and water power or steam, with its positioning reflecting access to these essential resources. The Lower Devonian rocks beneath the site, though not themselves iron ore, were typical of the solid geological substrates chosen for heavy industrial works across Wales.
The monument survives as a physical record of Wales's role in the broader Industrial Revolution. Such furnaces were central to the development of iron-working communities and the expansion of metalworking industries that transformed the Welsh landscape from the seventeenth century onwards. The structure's preservation reflects its historical significance to industrial heritage and the region's manufacturing economy.
Old Furnace Blast Furnace is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM197. View the official record →
Old Furnace Blast Furnace is a post-medieval and modern industrial monument in Wales, protected by Cadw under reference MM197.
Old Furnace Blast Furnace dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a blast furnace. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Old Furnace Blast Furnace is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is MM197.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dinham Castle (8.6 km), Royal Naval Propellant Factory Guided Weapons Scheme Static Firing Bay (8.9 km), Runston Medieval Village Site & Runston Chapel (8.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Old Furnace Blast Furnace's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Old Furnace Blast Furnace stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.