Backbarrow ironworks, Cumbria 03/08

shatters · Jan 25, 2009

The iron furnace at Backbarrow was built in 1711 and was state of the art in its day
The main production of the Iron Industry was cannon, gun carriages and cannon ball.
The furnace is the only survivor of its type and is protected as an ancient monument.
The site finally closed in the 60's

Phil

Foxylady · Jan 25, 2009

Oh, this is nice, Phil. Quite a lot of interesting remains. Love the winder and the big-ass boiler as well as that gorgeous slate roof.
Excellent find.

ricasso · Jan 25, 2009

Terrific explore Phil, cant believe that steam engine?, hasnt been snapped up yet, nothing is unrestorable

Sabtr · Jan 25, 2009

Lovely.

I can't believe a site like this could be left to go like this. Are they in the process of restoring it?

My guess is that if the site is left like this then vandalism will soon follow. Much of the machinery in there could be restored with little effort.

Can I see a hooge water pipe going into the ground in pic 6? Part of a water powered set-up?

The site creates so many questions - and I like that!

Thanks for posting.

shatters · Jan 25, 2009

Part of the site is being redeveloped for housing (as can be seen in the back of a couple of pictures ). Part of the deal with planning permission was that the rest of the site would be conserved.

Phil

andy m · Jan 25, 2009

Nice to see this place again. If memory serves me correctly, that water pipe is for a water turbine, although there is quite a bit of water board stuff next door, not sure if it's to do with that.

The steam engine is a blowing engine and it is incredible that it's lasted this long, most were just broken up for scrap when they were done with.

The site is remarkably unvandalised considering that it shut in the 60's and the majority of it was demolished not long after. In fact, when I went, I took a mooch round the stone building in the 5th picture and found all kind of relics from the 60's in there, including headed paper and such like. I didn't find a way into the buildings in the first picture though