Lawley Furnaces
| Lawley Furnaces | |
|---|---|
| Estate | |
 Pepper Mill, Lawley Furnaces | |
  Lawley Furnaces Location within Shropshire | |
| OS grid reference | SJ674093 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TELFORD |
| Postcode district | TF4 |
| Dialling code | 01952 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Shropshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Lawley Furnaces is a former mining community, housing estate and suburb of Telford in the borough of Telford and Wrekin in Shropshire, England. It is located northwest of the town of Dawley and west of the town of Telford. It forms part of the Lawley and Overdale civil parish.[1] Lawley Furnaces was first mentioned in 1840, when a Wesleyan Society was formed in the village.[2]
Lawley Furnaces and Mines
[edit]Mining in the area was recorded as far back as the 1700s. With shafts around the area named Little Flint, Randles and Two Feet. These extracted raw materials such as ironstone, coal and then fireclay.[3] The furnaces and mines were owned and operated by the Ketley Ironworks.[4] These were later taken over by the Lawley Company in 1829.[5]
Decline and closure
[edit]The furnaces were closed in 1870, however Lawley Colliery continued to operate until the 20th Century.[6] All mining activities in the area around the furnaces site ceased altogether in 1958.[7]
Redevelopment
[edit]The furnace site was later cleared after closure and in 1994, a team of archaeologists visited the site before it was reused for open-pit mining. They recovered bricks, materials and relics of the old furnaces during the excavation of the site. After completing their findings and either taking or leaving certain relics. The entire furnaces site was reburied to preserve it. The site is now occupied by a caravan park.[8][9]
Present day
[edit]A considerate amount of development occurred near the former Lawley Furnaces due to it and neighbouring towns and villages becoming part of the Telford and Wrekin borough and Telford.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "History trail - Lawley and Overdale Parish Council". 26 July 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Lawley: Nonconformity | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Durham Mining Museum - Wrekin Coal Co., Ltd". www.dmm.org.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Lawley: Economic history | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Lawley trail - Lawley and Overdale Parish Council". 27 July 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ Trinder, Barrie Stuart (1974). The Darbys of Coalbrookdale. Phillimore. ISBN 978-0-85033-191-2.
- ^ "Heritage Gateway - Results". www.heritagegateway.org.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Lawley trail - Lawley and Overdale Parish Council". 27 July 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ Council, Telford & Wrekin. "Lawley Furnaces". www.telford.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ Soissons, Maurice De (1991). "Telford: The Making of Shropshire's New Town". Swan Hill. Retrieved 5 January 2025.