TheHorseley Ironworks (sometimes spelledHorsley) was a majorironworks in theTipton area in thecounty ofStaffordshire, now theWest Midlands,England.
Founded byAaron Manby,[1] it is most famous for constructing the firstiron steamer,The Aaron Manby, in 1821.[2][3] The boat was assembled atRotherhithe. She was only the first of a number of steamboats built on the "knock-down" principle. The ironworks have also been responsible for the manufacture of numerous canal and railwaybridges of the 19th century.
The ironworks were built near theToll End Communication Canal[4] on the Horseley estate, which had been sold by their owner at the turn of the 19th century[5] due to demand from engineers wishing to profit on the construction of theBCN Main Line through the estate. The date when the ironworks were constructed is unknown but is believed to have been by 1815.[5] Industry in the area prospered and the location retained the name of the Horseley estate as shown in an 1822 survey of the area.[6]
With the increasing popularity ofcanals, the ironworks quickly became popular for manufacturing canal bridges, mainly in the local vicinity.[7] Canal bridges made by the ironworks include theEngine Arm Aqueduct (1825), tworoving bridges atSmethwick Junction (1828),[8][9]Galton Bridge (1829), andBraunston Towpath Bridges (1830).[10][11] By the end of the canal construction era, Horseley Ironworks had emerged as one of the most prolific manufacturers of canal bridges in theWest Midlands region,[5] especially inBirmingham.[12] This was a result of their signature bridge design which had become popular amongst canal constructors. The design has been replicated more recently, for example in Birmingham during the regeneration ofGas Street Basin where Worcester Bar is linked to Gas Street.[13]
Horseley Ironworks were also responsible for manufacturing in therailway industry. Railway bridges constructed included that of theviaduct for the London and Birmingham to Holyhead railway atShifnal,Shropshire which was cast in 1848.[14] As well as manufacturing bridges, they also producedlocomotives.[15]
The company also manufactured construction steelwork for the pier ofRyde, the Palace Theatre in London, Rugby railway station, a seaplane hangar in Las Palmas and theDome of Discovery at the 1951 Festival of Britain.[16]
People who have worked for the iron foundry includeCharles Manby, the son of Aaron Manby,James Thomson,[17] William Johnson[18] andRichard Roberts.[19]
The firm moved in 1865 to a site on the now defunct Dixon's Branch, off the BCN New Main Line (Island Line), near theSouth Staffordshire Railway line. The factory survived under a succession of owners until 1991, when it was closed down and subsequently redeveloped as a housing estate.[4]
| Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horseley Ironworks (original site) | 52°32′02″N2°03′06″W / 52.5338°N 2.0517°W /52.5338; -2.0517 (Horseley Ironworks (original site)) | SO964929 | on Toll End Communication Canal |
| Horseley Ironworks (later site) | 52°31′47″N2°02′38″W / 52.5296°N 2.0438°W /52.5296; -2.0438 (Horseley Ironworks (later site)) | SO970924 | on Dixon's Branch |
Download coordinates as:
52°31′47″N2°02′38″W / 52.5296°N 2.0438°W /52.5296; -2.0438