First steel furnace in England

After five seasons of hard work at Coalbrookdale we have discovered the first cementation steel furnace in England. The furnace was built by the industrialist Sir Basil Brooke in 1619.


The 2005 season was another collaboration between the Ironbridge Gorge Museum and Wilfred Laurier University. With students from the UK, Canada and the US under the expert - if sometimes slightly frazzled - guidance of directors Paul Belford and Ron Ross, we finally were able to answer our many questions about this important site. More information about the project, and about the ongoing programme of research, can be found here.