Coalbrookdale Foundry to be examined for historic artefacts
Aga's Coalbrookdale Foundry should be examined for items of "historical significance", according to a museums trust.
The Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust, which runs 10 museums inside the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, said it would like to go into the foundry site after it was announced that its current owners intend to close the site.
The Aga-Rayburn Factory in Coalbrookdale is located on one of the original foundry sites of Abraham Darby I where he first smelted iron ore with coke in 1709.
The move brings an end to centuries of iron production on the site and removing the last major industrial name from the Cradle of Industry.
The trust says it would like to gain access to the site to identify parts of the foundry that may be of significance.
Anna Brennand chief executive of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, said: “The closure of the AGA works will mark the end of centuries of ironworking in Coalbrookdale and its closure will be a great loss for the local community and the people who work there.
"The site is of archaeological interest, as the remains of Abraham Darby I’s Lower Furnace are buried there. In addition we know that one of the pools that once provided the water power for the Blast Furnaces in Coalbrookdale is also located on the site, although it was filled in during the early part of the last century.
"The museum would be interested in identifying and recording any aspects of the buildings and infrastructure that have historical significance.
The move will impact on 35 jobs, although some foundry operators will move to other roles.
Aga, which has consulted with union officials, said ‘everything possible’ is being done to mitigate the impact of any compulsory redundancies, but said that the foundry is no longer economically viable.
The company’s factory at Ketley will be kept open, with iron for the Aga ovens assembled there being sourced from other foundries across the UK and the EU, which are not part of the Aga Rangemaster group.
The Ironbridge community says it has been "saddened" over the loss of its iconic foundry.
Although now operated by Aga Rangemaster, which has announced it will be closing the site, the foundry has been a big employer in the World Heritage Site for centuries, previously as the base of the Coalbrookdale Company, known in the 19th century for its ornate ironwork.
