Wortley Top Forge
Wortley Top Forge is thought to be the oldest surviving heavy iron forge in the world. The current buildings are 18th-19th Century, I believe, though the forge has certainly existed since the 17th, and iron works were probably carried out there from Medieval times. Production stopped in the early 20th Century. Its name implies another forge and, indeed, there was another (Wortley Low Forge) that supplied pig iron to the Top Forge, which then, as a finery, reduced the metal's carbon content to produce wrought iron.
The Top Forge's hammers were powered by water wheels, which have been restored to working order. Though there are steam engines now exhibited on the site, I believe that the forge was entirely powered by water. There is still a forging hammer, which I think is demonstrated to visitors.
It's thought that cannon balls were produced at the Top Forge during the (English) Civil War. The forge also produced wire for nail making (in my paternal grandmother's hamlet—Bromley, close to her later home in Howbrook village—there are still buildings that served as smithy and nail shop, where the wire from Wortley would likely have been made into the final product). Wortley Top Forge became most famous in the 19th Century as a producer of high-grade, wrought iron shafts and axles for the railways, exporting around the world—a significant feat given the modest scale of the enterprise. It was also an early centre for metallurgical research.
The forge is situated in quite pleasant, quiet surroundings. I suppose, being water-powered, that pollution from emissions would have been low during its period of operation, but I bet the noise was something to be heard at quite some distance.
Wortley Top Forge is the unsurprising subject of this website.
Part of Roaming South Yorkshire.