The Moira Furnace Museum tells the story of the industrial endeavours of the Earl of Moira from 1798.
The Earl built a canal, limekilns and a blast furnace to take advantage of the needs of the nation and his inherited resources!
The Moira Furnace Museum explains the whole story, but basically the blast furnace was built in 1804 as a coke-fuelled, steam-engine blown blast furnace for the smelting of iron from local iron ore! It also had an attached foundry for the manufacture of cast-iron goods. However, the blast furnace closed in 1811, so was considered to be a commercial failure. because of this though, phases of development haven’t occurred and the Moira Furnace remains a particularly well-preserved snap-shot in time as a result!
The furnace was abandoned with its final charge still inside, partially smelted.
The foundry did remain in use though, just without the operation of the blast furnace. Iron was barged-in from elsewhere to be forged, right up until 1844.
So in 1812, the Earl turned his attention to the saline industry! A spa was founded in Moira to take advantage of the saline found in the mines.
The bridge-house and the engine house associated with the blast furnace, which constituted a separate building to the side of the furnace, were converted to dwellings and survived for a while. But, by the 1970s they had become derelict and affected by mining subsidence and the engine house was demolished.
During the 1820s the lime industry was developed and more kilns introduced. Industry was booming until circa 1850 and by 1950 the canal was abandoned and filled-in!
Thanks to Philip Riden and the Leicestershire Industrial History Society, the furnace and bridge-house are now scheduled as an ancient monument and an extensive restoration programme has seen the reintroduction of the bridge-house, the canal and a delightful country park!
A short walk away and in-sight of the Moira Blast Furnace is the impressive and restored bank of Moira Limekilns by the Ashby Canal.
Inside the bridgehouse there is now a museum, operated by the Moira Furnace Museum Trust. Get your visiting info – HERE!
They open seasonally, but when they do – boat trips are often available too!
The Moira Furnace Museum tells the story of the industrial endeavours of the Earl of Moira from 1798.
The Earl built a canal, limekilns and a blast furnace to take advantage of the needs of the nation and his inherited resources!
The Moira Furnace Museum explains the whole story, but basically the blast furnace was built in 1804 as a coke-fuelled, steam-engine blown blast furnace for the smelting of iron from local iron ore! It also had an attached foundry for the manufacture of cast-iron goods. However, the blast furnace closed in 1811, so was considered to be a commercial failure. because of this though, phases of development haven’t occurred and the Moira Furnace remains a particularly well-preserved snap-shot in time as a result!
The furnace was abandoned with its final charge still inside, partially smelted.
The foundry did remain in use though, just without the operation of the blast furnace. Iron was barged-in from elsewhere to be forged, right up until 1844.
So in 1812, the Earl turned his attention to the saline industry! A spa was founded in Moira to take advantage of the saline found in the mines.
The bridge-house and the engine house associated with the blast furnace, which constituted a separate building to the side of the furnace, were converted to dwellings and survived for a while. But, by the 1970s they had become derelict and affected by mining subsidence and the engine house was demolished.
During the 1820s the lime industry was developed and more kilns introduced. Industry was booming until circa 1850 and by 1950 the canal was abandoned and filled-in!
Thanks to Philip Riden and the Leicestershire Industrial History Society, the furnace and bridge-house are now scheduled as an ancient monument and an extensive restoration programme has seen the reintroduction of the bridge-house, the canal and a delightful country park!
A short walk away and in-sight of the Moira Blast Furnace is the impressive and restored bank of Moira Limekilns by the Ashby Canal.
Inside the bridgehouse there is now a museum, operated by the Moira Furnace Museum Trust. Get your visiting info – HERE!
They open seasonally, but when they do – boat trips are often available too!
