Wheelbirks Furnace.

[NZ 04865796] Bloomery. (1)

In valley of the Stocksfield Burn a few hundred yards to the south of the old homestead of Wheelbirks are the remains of a disused blast furnace, excavated in 1844 by Mr Richardson; internal diameter 5ft-6ft at widest part. Higher up the bank was a heap of iron ore and around the furnace were about 30 loads of slag, charcoal and limestone; inside were a few lumps of smelted iron. The furnace was entirely stone built and the calcined stones of its upper part are now built into a nearby wall. (2)

NZ 04855797. This feature is at the bottom of a wooded valley close to a small stream that runs into the Stocksfield Burn. The furnace consists of a small, oval chamber, with an open side to the north and with two flanking walls. The maximum height of the remains is 2m. The smelting chamber itself is of undressed stones; the other walls are of coursed and dressed masonry. The field wall to the north contains stones that appear to have been reddened by fire. To the south west of the furnace are some overgrown heaps of ironstone. There is no evidence for dating the furnace but the tooling on the stonework appears to be fairly modern. (3)

This site can be compared with the simple bloomery which existed from pre-Roman times down to the 17th century. The absence of Roman pottery and the tooling of the stonework suggests a later date and the site compares with the bloomeries of Furness, Lancashire, which are of early medieval to 17th century date. (4)

Surveyed at 1/2500. (5)

Condition unchanged. Published survey (25 inch) correct. (6)

Magnetic dating of the structure has given a provisional date for the last firing of 1570 +/- 20. The site was re-examined and part excavated in 1981. Present remains stand to a maximum of 1.86m high. (7)

Important industrial monument. Listed grade II. Blast furnace on west bank of Stocksfield Burn 150 metres south of Wood Cottage. Grade II. Medieval or C17 blast furnace. Large roughly squared stone. Trapezoidal plan; furnace opening on north, flanked by splayed wing walls standing to 2 metres in parts. Rear wall more ruinous. Important industrial monument, excavated by Richardson in
1884, recently re-examined (8)(12b)

Elizabethan blast furnace discovered near Stocksfield. Rectangular crucible dated 1550-1570. (9)

'Rediscovery' by Dr S M Linsley of Wheelbirks blast furnace. Original sighting and excavation by David Richardson in 1884. First reference appears in 1566. Richardson estimated the furnace only operated for a year or so as only 50-60 cartloads of slag were evident on the surface. Works eventually abandoned.
Site was re-examined and part re-excavated in April 1981. Richardson built a new supporting wall into the collapsed furnace structure. Present excavation also showed he had tried to rebuild part of the furnace stack.
Present remains stand to a 1.96m high maximum, incorporating splayed wing walls of the tapping arch, part damaged crucible and fragments of the boshes. Crucible has a rectangular base c1m long x 0.28m wide. A tuyere hole c0.2m wide x 0.34m high penetrates the longer side of the crucible. Lower courses of the furnace pillar extant, blowing arch collapsed and also the rear of the furnace.
Magnetic dating of surrounding metallic slag gave a last firing date of 1570 +/- 20 years. (10)

Base of stack of a small 16th century blast furnace suviving to c.1.5m. The head race is only distinguishable within 100m of the furnace; the weir is disintegrating. Magnetic dating and characteristics of the furnace suggest that this is the earliest blast furnace north of the Tees. Of great significance in the spread of technology from south-east England. (11)

NZ 046 577; NZ 048 580. Wheelbirks furnace. Scheduled No ND/643. (12a)