Duddon furnace

Duddon Furnace is a preserved blast furnace near Millom, built from local stone and standing about 29 feet (9 meters) high. The site features rooms beneath an arch leading to the charging platform, along with a long charcoal barn and iron ore storage facility nearby.

The furnace was founded in 1736 as a joint enterprise between two companies aiming to produce pig iron. It operated for over a century before iron production ceased at the site in 1867.

The furnace shows how people organized their daily lives around iron production and what role this industrial site played in the local community. The remains tell of the work people performed here and their dependence on the river and surrounding resources.

The site lies within Lake District National Park and is accessible via hiking trails that cross the area. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and come prepared for changeable weather, as the location is quite exposed.

Water supply came from a specialized channel tapping the nearby river and was later enhanced with mechanical blowing cylinders to boost air flow. This sophisticated water management system was crucial to furnace operations and shows the engineering ingenuity of early industrialists.

Location: Millom Without

GPS coordinates: 54.28400,-3.23550

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:14