Approval granted for work to repair furnace

Planners have given the green light for urgent repairs and conservation works at an historic furnace site in Fernhurst.

Robin Barnes, from the Fernhurst Furnace Preservation Group, said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ that permission had been granted for the works at the site, which is also known as the North Park Iron Furnace.

He said they had been trying to get the work done for 30 years.

They had hoped to do it last year after funding was secured from Historic England’s repair grant scheme but then realised the works required planning permission, which took a further year to sort out.

South Downs National Park Authority gave its approval for the scheme earlier this month.

The works will involve repairing the dam structures and stone walls at the site, which has been placed on Historic England’s Heritage at risk register.

Mr Barnes said the main problem was ‘an awful amount of erosion’ caused by heavy rainfall over the years, which had put them ‘right on the cusp of losing the whole site’.

Work is due to begin in May and will hopefully be completed by the end of October.

Mr Barnes said the site was of national interest and the only one of its kind in the south east that has been preserved.

The archaeological remains are important to understanding the history of the iron industry in the Weald, which flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries using local ore, charcoal and water power.

There is evidence that it operated as a charcoal blast furnace possibly as early as the 16th century, according to the planning documents.

Cast iron, tools and cannons were produced at the site until its recorded closure in 1777.

The site was designated a Scheduled Monument in recognition of its national importance in 2005.

Open days are usually held at the site each year in September, but the event – which typically involves a guided tour of the site remains and musket, cannon and longbow demonstrations – was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

Mr Barnes said he had his ‘fingers crossed’ that it will return this year.