Bonawe Iron Furnace

Bonawe Iron Furnace is an industrial facility on the south shore of Loch Etive in Scotland with standing remains of blast furnaces, storage sheds, water ponds, and a pier. The site displays the infrastructure used for melting and processing iron.

The facility was founded in 1753 by the Newland Company of Cumbria and operated until 1876, making it the last active charcoal iron furnace in Scotland. For more than 100 years, the furnace supplied iron to the region and marked the end of a production method that disappeared afterward.

The site was home to a large working community with housing, schools, and chapels that shaped daily life for employees and their families. The settlement evolved into its own village with social structures that kept people connected.

Access is seasonal and you should check opening times before visiting, especially outside the warmer months. The site is relatively flat and easy to walk around, but offers little shelter from weather, so bring suitable clothing.

Workers built a memorial at the site after hearing news of Admiral Lord Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar. This record of their grief shows how connected the community felt to major events in British history.