Blaenavon Ironworks Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Blaenavon Ironworks

Type	Ironworks
Location	Blaenavon, Torfaen, Wales
Owner	Cadw

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Blaenavon Industrial Landscape
Designated	2000


Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Cast House and Foundry
Designated	9 February 1995
Reference no.	15296


Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Blast Furnances
Designated	9 February 1995
Reference no.	15294


Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Balance Tower
Designated	9 February 1995
Reference no.	15292

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Blaenavon Ironworks is an old industrial site in Wales. It's now a museum where you can learn about how iron was made a long time ago. This place was super important because it helped people learn how to use cheaper, lower-quality iron ores from all over the world. It was also where two cousins, Sidney Gilchrist Thomas and Percy Gilchrist, did experiments that led to a new way of making steel, called the "basic steel process."

The ironworks is located near the town of Blaenavon, in an area called the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. This whole area is so important that it's a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO! Cadw, which is the Welsh Government's group for historic places, takes care of the site.

The Story of Blaenavon Ironworks
What You Can See There
- Coal House and Stack Square
Important Recognitions
- UNESCO World Heritage Status
- Protected Buildings
Gallery
See also

The Story of Blaenavon Ironworks

How It All Began

People have been working with iron in the South Wales Valleys for a very long time. Even during Roman times, iron was made here. In 1788, three businessmen – Thomas Hill, Thomas Hopkins, and Benjamin Pratt – leased land in Blaenavon.

This spot was perfect for making iron. The three main things needed – coal, iron ore, and limestone – were all found close to the surface. This made them easy to dig up! Work started right away to build the ironworks. Blaenavon was the first ironworks in Wales designed to have many furnaces from the very beginning. It had three furnaces, kilns, homes for workers, and even a company shop.

A Visitor's View in 1799

A historian named William Coxe visited Blaenavon in 1799. He was very excited about the town. He described it as "an opulent and increasing establishment." This means it was a rich and growing place.

The ironworks needed many skilled workers. These workers came from different parts of Wales, England, and even Ireland. Unskilled workers also came, hoping to find jobs. The population of the area grew a lot. In 1800, there were just over 1,000 people. By 1840, there were more than 5,000!

The 1800s: Growth and Change

By 1800, Blaenavon Ironworks helped South Wales become the top iron-producing region in the world. Blaenavon was the second-largest iron producer in Wales. Only Cyfarthfa Ironworks was bigger.

Over the next ten years, two new furnaces were added. In 1804, a forge was built nearby in Cwmavon. By 1833, the company owned 430 houses and employed 1,000 workers.

In 1836, the Blaenavon Iron and Coal Company bought the works. A lot of money was invested in the ironworks. They built an amazing balance tower. This tower used water to lift heavy pig iron from the bottom of the site. It helped transport the iron to canals, which offered cheaper ways to move goods.

Iron rails made at Blaenavon were sent all over the world. They went to places like India, Russia, and Brazil. They were also used for projects closer to home, like building the Crumlin Viaduct.

The company changed its name to the Blaenavon Iron & Steel Company in 1870. It was one of only six ironworks in South Wales that successfully switched to making steel. By 1878, the company employed 5,000 people.

The company got a boost thanks to the discoveries of Sidney Gilchrist Thomas and Percy Carlyle Gilchrist. Their experiments at Blaenavon in 1877-1878 helped use iron ore that was previously too difficult to use. However, this also meant other countries could use their own ores, which eventually led to the decline of Blaenavon Ironworks. In 1880, the Blaenavon Company opened Big Pit coal mine and stopped making iron.

The 1900s and Today

In 1904, the ironworks stopped making things completely. It briefly started again in 1924 but wasn't successful. The forges at the site were still used during both World Wars to help make steel shells. Later, it was mainly used as a storage area.

In 1959, the famous novelist Alexander Cordell set his book ... of the Fair Country at the ironworks. Around this time, people started to care more about old industrial sites. So, the ironworks was saved from being destroyed. In 1974, work began to preserve the ironworks. In 2001, a big restoration project took place. Today, Cadw takes care of the site.

What You Can See There

Clive Aslet describes Blaenavon as "the best-preserved industrial relic of its kind." This means it's one of the best-kept old industrial sites.

Coal House and Stack Square

Stack Square is a small group of homes where workers used to live. It was even featured in a BBC television show called Coal House. These homes have been fixed up to look like they did in different times, from the 1870s to the 1970s. You can visit them and see how people lived back then.

Important Recognitions

UNESCO World Heritage Status

In 2000, the ironworks and the larger Blaenavon Industrial Landscape became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it's recognized as a very important place for everyone in the world. It shows how important South Wales was for making iron and coal in the 1800s.

Protected Buildings

Blaenavon Ironworks is also a Scheduled monument. This gives it special protection.

The site has many listed structures. Three of them are given the highest protection, called Grade I. These are the Cast House and Foundry, the Balance Tower, and the three Blast Furnaces. Other buildings, like the Chain Store, the Calcining Kilns, and Stack Square, are listed at Grade II.