Dyfi Furnace

Perfectly-preserved example of Welsh industrial heritage in a sublime rural setting

The Industrial Revolution wasn’t confined to coal and iron in south Wales and slate in the north. Built around 1755, this charcoal-fired blast furnace used for the smelting of iron ore is one of the best-preserved industrial buildings of its type in Britain.

Harnessing the power of the River Einion, the furnace’s waterwheel drove a huge set of bellows. These huffed and puffed compressed air into the furnace, creating the scorching temperatures needed to process the ore into pig iron, much of which was sent to forges in the Midlands.

The furnace only operated for around 50 years before being abandoned. The restored waterwheel that can now be seen is a remnant of the building’s second life as a sawmill.