Crucible steel production at Derwentcote Forge, County Durham
Main
Sidebar
Published
September 15, 2021
Abstract
In 2010 an archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Channel 4’s Time Team at Derwentcote, County Durham. The site is one of the best examples of how the ferrous metal industry evolved in Britain during the Industrial Revolution and now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The results of the evaluation, along with analysis of the crucibles and metallic residues, are of significance in providing information on the 19th-century crucible steel operation at Derwentcote, the first such installation to have been excavated outside Sheffield.
Details
Keywords
References
Barraclough K C 1976, Sheffield steel (Sheffield).
Barraclough K C 1978, ‘A crucible steel melter’s log’, Historical Metallurgy 12, 24–34.
Barraclough K C 1984, Crucible steel – the growth of technology (London).
Battye R 2004, The forgotten mines of Sheffield, especially around the Upper Don, Loxley and Sheaf Valleys (Sheffield).
Berg T and Berg P (trans) 2001, R R Angerstein’s illustrated travel diary, 1753–1755 (London).
Craddock P T 2013, ‘Refractories: ceramics with a purpose’, Old Potter’s Almanack, 18, 9–20.
Cranstone D 1997, Derwentcote steel furnace, an industrial monument in County Durham (Lancaster).
Cranstone D 2008, ‘Steel in the Derwent valley: but Enlightenment?’, Historical Metallurgy 42(2), 100–111.
Cranstone D 2009, Derwentcote industrial landscape: archaeological assessment [draft], Cranstone Consultants.
Eccleston M 2003, Thin section analysis of steel-making crucibles from London Road, Sheffield, unpublished scientific report, University of Sheffield.
Freestone I C and Tite M S 1986, ‘Refractories in the ancient and preindustrial world, in W D Kingery (ed), High-technology ceramics: past, present and future (Westerville, OH), 35–63.
GSB 2010, Prospection Ltd, Geophysical survey report Derwentcote, County Durham, unpublished report 2010/46.
Harbord F W 1905, The metallurgy of steel (London).
Martinón-Torres M and Rehren T 2009, ‘Post-medieval crucible production and distribution: a study of materials and materialities’, Archaeometry 51 (1), 49–74.
Quinn P S 2013a, Ceramic petrography: The interpretation of archaeological pottery and related artefacts in thin section (Oxford).
Quinn P S 2013b, Petrographic and SEM-EDS analysis of Huntsman steel-making crucibles from Tenter Street, Sheffield, England, unpublished report www.ceramicpetrology.co.uk 2013/73.
RCHME 1990, Derwentcote, Co Durham, unpublished archaeological survey report.
Spencer T 1864, ‘On the manufacture of steel in the northern district’, in W G Armstrong, I Lothian Bell, J Taylor and Dr Richardson, Industrial resources of the Tyne, Wear and Tees, 120–125.
Surtees R 1820, The history and antiquities of the County Palatinate of Durham, II.
Tylecote R F 1982, ‘Metallurgical crucibles and crucible slags’, in J Olin and A D Franklin (eds), Archaeological ceramics (Washington, DC), 231–243.
Vander Voort, G F 1999, Metallography, principles and practice (Materials Park, OH).
Wessex Archaeology 2011, Wessex Archaeology, Derwentcote Forge, Derwentcote, County Durham. Archaeological evaluation and assessment of results, unpublished report 74157.01.Available at http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/reports/74157/derwentcote-forge
Videotext 2010, Videotext Communications, Proposed archaeological evaluation, Derwentcote, unpublished project design.
Barraclough K C 1978, ‘A crucible steel melter’s log’, Historical Metallurgy 12, 24–34.
Barraclough K C 1984, Crucible steel – the growth of technology (London).
Battye R 2004, The forgotten mines of Sheffield, especially around the Upper Don, Loxley and Sheaf Valleys (Sheffield).
Berg T and Berg P (trans) 2001, R R Angerstein’s illustrated travel diary, 1753–1755 (London).
Craddock P T 2013, ‘Refractories: ceramics with a purpose’, Old Potter’s Almanack, 18, 9–20.
Cranstone D 1997, Derwentcote steel furnace, an industrial monument in County Durham (Lancaster).
Cranstone D 2008, ‘Steel in the Derwent valley: but Enlightenment?’, Historical Metallurgy 42(2), 100–111.
Cranstone D 2009, Derwentcote industrial landscape: archaeological assessment [draft], Cranstone Consultants.
Eccleston M 2003, Thin section analysis of steel-making crucibles from London Road, Sheffield, unpublished scientific report, University of Sheffield.
Freestone I C and Tite M S 1986, ‘Refractories in the ancient and preindustrial world, in W D Kingery (ed), High-technology ceramics: past, present and future (Westerville, OH), 35–63.
GSB 2010, Prospection Ltd, Geophysical survey report Derwentcote, County Durham, unpublished report 2010/46.
Harbord F W 1905, The metallurgy of steel (London).
Martinón-Torres M and Rehren T 2009, ‘Post-medieval crucible production and distribution: a study of materials and materialities’, Archaeometry 51 (1), 49–74.
Quinn P S 2013a, Ceramic petrography: The interpretation of archaeological pottery and related artefacts in thin section (Oxford).
Quinn P S 2013b, Petrographic and SEM-EDS analysis of Huntsman steel-making crucibles from Tenter Street, Sheffield, England, unpublished report www.ceramicpetrology.co.uk 2013/73.
RCHME 1990, Derwentcote, Co Durham, unpublished archaeological survey report.
Spencer T 1864, ‘On the manufacture of steel in the northern district’, in W G Armstrong, I Lothian Bell, J Taylor and Dr Richardson, Industrial resources of the Tyne, Wear and Tees, 120–125.
Surtees R 1820, The history and antiquities of the County Palatinate of Durham, II.
Tylecote R F 1982, ‘Metallurgical crucibles and crucible slags’, in J Olin and A D Franklin (eds), Archaeological ceramics (Washington, DC), 231–243.
Vander Voort, G F 1999, Metallography, principles and practice (Materials Park, OH).
Wessex Archaeology 2011, Wessex Archaeology, Derwentcote Forge, Derwentcote, County Durham. Archaeological evaluation and assessment of results, unpublished report 74157.01.Available at http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/reports/74157/derwentcote-forge
Videotext 2010, Videotext Communications, Proposed archaeological evaluation, Derwentcote, unpublished project design.
How to Cite
Andrews, P., Mackenzie, R., & Quinn, P. (2021). Crucible steel production at Derwentcote Forge, County Durham. Historical Metallurgy, 50(1), 53-66. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/62
Issue
Section
Articles
