The Old Furnace at Coalbrookdale Ironworks

THE OLD FURNACE AT COALBROOKDALE IRONWORKS

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Explore this list entry

Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1054135
Date first listed:
08-Apr-1983
List Entry Name:
The Old Furnace at Coalbrookdale Ironworks
Statutory Address:
THE OLD FURNACE AT COALBROOKDALE IRONWORKS
User submitted image
Contributed by Listing Projects Team This photo may not represent the current condition of the site. Over 400,000 images and stories have been added to the Missing Pieces Project so far. Share your story.
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places. 

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

Icon Buildings
Icon Scheduled monuments
Icon Parks and gardens
Icon Battlefields
Icon Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Images of England Project

To view this image please use Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge.
Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2003-03-21
Reference:
IOE01/09246/21
Rights:
© Mr J K Aldred. Source: Historic England Archive

Local Heritage Hub

Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.

Discover more

Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1054135
Date first listed:
08-Apr-1983
List Entry Name:
The Old Furnace at Coalbrookdale Ironworks
Statutory Address 1:
THE OLD FURNACE AT COALBROOKDALE IRONWORKS

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
THE OLD FURNACE AT COALBROOKDALE IRONWORKS

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Telford and Wrekin (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
The Gorge
National Grid Reference:
SJ6675504865

Details

COALBROOKDALE COALBROOKDALE IRONWORKS
1.
5362 The Old Furnace at
Coalbrookdale Ironworks
SJ 6604 9/79

I GV


2.
Retained at ground level a small area of foundation walls which are part of the
first furnace of 1638 in which, in 1709 the first iron ever to be made with coke
was smelted. The early furnace continued in use, repaired and improved, until
1777 when Abraham Darby III rebuilt it to a new design in preparation for casting
the Iron Bridge. It consists of a massive square tower-like brick outer casing
containing the furnace itself which, in shape, is a double cone of circular section
in dark fire brick surrounded by several courses of hard red brick. The space
between circle and square is packed with fire resistant material. At ground level
there are recesses on 2 sides of the furnace tower. One, facing south is the
recess and the other, facing east is the forehearth recess. Both recesses are
spanned by cast-iron beams, 2 of which have initial letters and the date 1638 cast
on them while the 2 upper beams of the 4 supporting the forehearth recess are boldly
inscribed - 'ABRAHAM DARBY 1777'. To the right of the forehearth is a large archway
with flue and damper which was a mould and core-drying stone.


Listing NGR: SJ6675504865

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
361941
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of The Old Furnace at Coalbrookdale Ironworks

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 08-Jun-2026 at 20:55:24.

Download a full scale map (PDF)
© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Previous Overview
Next Comments and Photos