Description and History of Site:-
Two iron furnaces, coke fired. Coursed squared gritstone with ashlar dressings and quoins, fire brick linings. Two tall tapering towers, square in plan and each partly built into the hillside. Both have deeply splayed pointed tapping arches to west fronts with small entrance into the kilns to the back under iron lintels. Northern kiln has raised oval date stone inscribed '1818' above the arch. Similar illegible date stone to southern kiln. Similar smaller blowing arches to north and south sides of each kiln. Iron climbing hoops to each corner of north kiln, up to the flat top. Southern kiln has semi-circular arched tunnel to south side allowing access to pointed blowing arch. Both kilns have tapering cylindrical interiors lined with fire bricks. (From the listing description). The earlier furnace dates from 1780 and was the first coke-fuelled iron furnace in Derbyshire. Both built for Francis Hurt. They went out of use in 1874 and were restored in 1986.

Writing in 1857, Francis White and Co. refer to " ... the extensive iron works of John and Charles Mold, who have two blast furnaces, with steam engines of 300 horse power. They manufacture all kinds of ironwork."

Further Reading and References:-
History, Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Derby ..., Francis White & Co., Sheffield, 1857.
Fowkes, Dudley, Sissons, Mark and Mitchell, Ian. 'A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Derbyshire'. 2005, Association for Industrial Archaeology. ISBN 0 9528930 8 8
Falconer, Keith. 'Guide to England's Industrial Heritage'. Batsford, 1980
Palmer, Marilyn and Neaverson, Peter. 'A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of East Midlands'. 1986, Association for Industrial Archaeology and Leicestershire Industrial History Society

https://www.derbyshireas.org.uk/diary/fieldwork-and-conservation/

https://her.derbyshire.gov.uk/Monument/MDR4677

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Key Words :- blast furnace iron coke fired

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the footpath from Park Lane to Morley Park and the A38

Address :- Park Lane, Heage, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 2AE
Grid Ref :- SK 37994 49192
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.038660 , Long -1.434817
Local Authority :- Amber Valley Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Derbyshire
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II*
Historic England List No - 1108984,
Site Condition :- Site conserved
Site Dates :- c1780 -
Record Date :- 9 December 2017

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