Fernhurst Furnace
Award Winning
Award Winning
Location: West Sussex
Client: Private Client
Architect: Jane Jones Warner
Value: £0.5m
Awards:
2023 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards – Public and Community Awards, Highly Commended
Fernhurst Furnace (North Park Furnace) is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and one of the most complete surviving charcoal-fired blast furnaces from the Wealden iron industry.
The site had suffered considerable damage over many years due to increasing water flows from the contributing catchment of the River Lod, culminating with the site being put on the Heritage at Risk register. SFK Consulting was appointed to undertake a feasibility study looking at restoration of the monument whilst managing water flows through the site. This led to a full detailed design to stabilise the site, addressing risks to historic structures and nationally significant archaeology, restoring the historic remains and managing water flows through the surviving tail races.
Uncontrolled water flows through the north sluice were causing erosion and damage to the exposed furnace floor and archaeological remains, including the remaining tail races. The south sluice structure, comprising a barrel arch spillway was in a critical state of instability, with a retaining wall at significant risk of collapse. The project required careful coordination of hydrological, structural and archaeological considerations, alongside environmental constraints and the need to obtain approvals from Historic England and the Lead Local Flood Authority.
The completed scheme provides a robust, long-term solution that stabilises the site, reduces flood risk and prevents further damage to important archaeological remains.
The design enhances understanding of the historic furnace operation while meeting the requirements of Historic England and the Lead Local Flood Authority.
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