Wortley Top Forge
Encyclopedia
Wortley Top Forge is an historic former finery forge
and ironworks
originally dating back to the seventeenth century, although evidence suggests iron working took place in the vicinity as early as the fourteenth century. It is situated in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire
, England, on a loop of the River Don near to the village of Wortley
.
The Top Forge was always closely related to Wortley Low Forge, a short distance downstream
. One of the forge
s was probably built about 1639 (possibly both of them) and certainly existed by 1641, from which time the Iron-masters at Wortley were Thomas Cotton, and his son William Cotton (1627-1674); the latter being the father of Thomas Cotton (Dissenting minister)
. Cannon balls are said to have been made here during the English Civil War
. After that the finery forge
s usually belonged to a network of ironmaster
s led by members of the Spencer family of Cannon Hall, Cawthorne
, but not between 1676 and 1690, when they were rented by other ironmasters. The two forges were always leased together with a blast furnace
, Nether Bank Furnace until the latter's closure probably about 1780, all of them being rented from the Wortley family.
In 1744, the forge was let to John Cockshutt (died 1774), who ran it with a partner. He also had a 'tinmill'. He was followed by his son, another John, who was succeeded by his brother James about 1800. James had worked at Merthyr Tydfil
as a partner of William Crawshay
in the Cyfarthfa Ironworks
and when he returned to Wortley in 1791 after the dissolution of their partnership
, he introduced puddling to Wortley, the tinmill probably being altered to roll blooms into bars of iron. After James' death in 1820, the works passed to relatives and then through various hands, coming into the hands of Thomas Andrews in 1849. On his death in 1871 he was followed by his son another Thomas Andrews
, who died in 1907.
One of the buildings at Top Forge includes as date stone for 1713. However, the current layout of the building dates from the 1850s when the forge was turned over to the production of shafts and axles mainly for use on railway wagons. Some of the earliest metallurgical experiments in the world were conducted at the site by the engineer and metallurgist Thomas Andrews
. Railway axles of the highest quality were manufactured at the site in the nineteenth century and exported all over the world.
Production ceased around 1912, but parts of the site remained in use until 1929. One of the 'Top Forge' hammers was run as a demonstration in 1933 or 1934. In 1955, the dream of C. R. Andrews (the son of the second Thomas) was fulfilled, the forge being reopened as an Industrial Museum by Sheffield Trades Historical Society (now South Yorkshire Industrial History Society). Its buildings are used to house a variety of industrial machinery, including a Marshall
twin-cylinder engine steam engine
.
Also of particular interest is that the site only ever used waterwheels to power the machinery. All three waterwheels have been restored to working order.
Finery forge
Iron tapped from the blast furnace is pig iron, and contains significant amounts of carbon and silicon. To produce malleable wrought iron, it needs to undergo a further process. In the early modern period, this was carried out in a finery forge....
and ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
originally dating back to the seventeenth century, although evidence suggests iron working took place in the vicinity as early as the fourteenth century. It is situated in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England, on a loop of the River Don near to the village of Wortley
Wortley, South Yorkshire
Wortley is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 579.Wortley grew up as a settlement where the Sheffield to Halifax road crossed the Cheshire to Rotherham route...
.
The Top Forge was always closely related to Wortley Low Forge, a short distance downstream
Downstream
-Science:* In geography, away from the source of a stream or river* In meteorology, away from the source of an air parcel or mass, along the normal direction of water or air flow* Downstream , in computer or telecommunications networks...
. One of the forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
s was probably built about 1639 (possibly both of them) and certainly existed by 1641, from which time the Iron-masters at Wortley were Thomas Cotton, and his son William Cotton (1627-1674); the latter being the father of Thomas Cotton (Dissenting minister)
Thomas Cotton (Dissenting minister)
Thomas Cotton was a dissenting minister of London.-Life:Thomas Cotton was born at Penistone, Yorkshire, 1653. His father, William Cotton , notable Iron-master of Wortley Top Forge, was and Dissenter, noted for his great hospitality and kindness to the ejected ministers...
. Cannon balls are said to have been made here during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. After that the finery forge
Finery forge
Iron tapped from the blast furnace is pig iron, and contains significant amounts of carbon and silicon. To produce malleable wrought iron, it needs to undergo a further process. In the early modern period, this was carried out in a finery forge....
s usually belonged to a network of ironmaster
Ironmaster
An ironmaster is the manager – and usually owner – of a forge or blast furnace for the processing of iron. It is a term mainly associated with the period of the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain....
s led by members of the Spencer family of Cannon Hall, Cawthorne
Cawthorne
Cawthorne is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. The village was once the centre of a localised iron and coal mining industry, though today it is the centre of a very affluent commuter belt, west of Barnsley...
, but not between 1676 and 1690, when they were rented by other ironmasters. The two forges were always leased together with a blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
, Nether Bank Furnace until the latter's closure probably about 1780, all of them being rented from the Wortley family.
In 1744, the forge was let to John Cockshutt (died 1774), who ran it with a partner. He also had a 'tinmill'. He was followed by his son, another John, who was succeeded by his brother James about 1800. James had worked at Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
as a partner of William Crawshay
William Crawshay
William Crawshay may refer to:*William Crawshay I , South Wales industrialist*William Crawshay II , his son, owner of Cyfarthfa Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil...
in the Cyfarthfa Ironworks
Cyfarthfa Ironworks
The Cyfarthfa Ironworks was a major 18th century and 19th century ironworks located in Cyfarthfa, on the north-western edge of Merthyr Tydfil, in South Wales.-The beginning:...
and when he returned to Wortley in 1791 after the dissolution of their partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
, he introduced puddling to Wortley, the tinmill probably being altered to roll blooms into bars of iron. After James' death in 1820, the works passed to relatives and then through various hands, coming into the hands of Thomas Andrews in 1849. On his death in 1871 he was followed by his son another Thomas Andrews
Thomas Andrews (metallurgist)
Thomas Andrews , was a British metallurgist of international renown.In 1850 Thomas Andrews, Samuel Burrows and John Burrows, trading as Andrews, Burrows and Co. took over the works at Wortley. Andrews' experiments on fatigue and fracture at Wortley Top Forge led to the manufacture of railway axles...
, who died in 1907.
One of the buildings at Top Forge includes as date stone for 1713. However, the current layout of the building dates from the 1850s when the forge was turned over to the production of shafts and axles mainly for use on railway wagons. Some of the earliest metallurgical experiments in the world were conducted at the site by the engineer and metallurgist Thomas Andrews
Thomas Andrews (metallurgist)
Thomas Andrews , was a British metallurgist of international renown.In 1850 Thomas Andrews, Samuel Burrows and John Burrows, trading as Andrews, Burrows and Co. took over the works at Wortley. Andrews' experiments on fatigue and fracture at Wortley Top Forge led to the manufacture of railway axles...
. Railway axles of the highest quality were manufactured at the site in the nineteenth century and exported all over the world.
Production ceased around 1912, but parts of the site remained in use until 1929. One of the 'Top Forge' hammers was run as a demonstration in 1933 or 1934. In 1955, the dream of C. R. Andrews (the son of the second Thomas) was fulfilled, the forge being reopened as an Industrial Museum by Sheffield Trades Historical Society (now South Yorkshire Industrial History Society). Its buildings are used to house a variety of industrial machinery, including a Marshall
Marshall, Sons & Co.
-External links:* – at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia...
twin-cylinder engine steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
.
Also of particular interest is that the site only ever used waterwheels to power the machinery. All three waterwheels have been restored to working order.
Further reading
- C. R. Andrews, The story of Wortley Ironworks (1956).
- R. A. Mott, 'The early history of Wortley Forges' Bull. Hist. Metall. Group 5 (1971) 63-70.