Metalworking site in Muckross

On the E bank of a stream in woodland to the W of Muckross village. The remains of the ironworking site consist of a heavily overgrown free-standing blast furnace (H c. 6.2m; c. 8m NW-SE; c. 6.8m NE-SW) built of random rubble sandstone. A semicircular casting arch (H 1.7m; Wth 4m; D 2.35m), with undressed voussoirs, is centrally placed in the NE side. A vaulted recess splays both inwards and downwards towards the ope at rear (Wth 1.54m). A flat-headed bellows arch (Wth c. 0.6m; H c. 0.5m) with roughly dressed, sandstone voussoirs is evident at the base of the ???? wall and is partially obscured by rubble. A tuyere hole, consisting of two inwardly sloped stones, survive in situ in the centre of the bellows arch opening. Putlog holes across NE face of furnace above the casting arch suggest the former presence of a lean-to or of a support for a gangway. A flying buttress is built up against the S end of the SW wall of the furnace. The furnace may have been charged from a gangway leading from the sloping earthen embankment, which is 10m to the E. Evidence of a channel from the nearby river is not visible. The whole area is now covered by forest debris.The furnace probably dates to the second half of the 17th-century (Rynne 2001, 118). When Sir William Petty's Glanaroughty iron works (KE093-079----) closed down in the 1670s due to lack of charcoal for fuel, his smelting operations were compelled to move to Muckross where wood for charcoal manufacture was still readily available (ibid. 116). (McCracken 1957, 130) Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011