The ironworks was founded in 1838 and included blast furnaces, 24 calcining kilns to roast the iron ore, a waggonway, 70 coke ovens, a dam, waste heaps, houses, offices, stables and stores. However, the works were only short-lived and, despite three changes in ownership in ten years, they had gone out of use by 1848. All that can be seen today are earthworks and part of the dam, which stands to about half its original height. This is a Scheduled Monument protected by law.