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Darkhill Ironworks, and the neighbouring Titanic Steelworks, are internationally important industrial remains associated with the development of the iron and steel industries.〔Information board at the viewing point.〕 Both are scheduled monuments.〔(List of Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the Forest of Dean )〕 They are located on the edge of a small hamlet called Gorsty Knoll, just to the west of Parkend, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Historically, ''Darkhill'' was sometimes written ''Dark Hill''. ==History== The noted Scottish metallurgist, David Mushet, moved to the Forest of Dean in February 1810 to take up full-time management of Whitecliff Ironworks in Coleford - although he quickly disengaged himself from the business for reasons that are not known.〔''Man of Iron - Man of Steel'', Ralph Anstis, page 35〕 In 1818/19 he built a coke-fired 'experimental furnace' at Darkhill, marking the start of industrial activity on the site. Although he did produce significant quantities of iron for sale, the larger part of the works was given over to research and experimental production. In 1845 David retired to Monmouth and conveyed Darkhill to his three sons, with the youngest, Robert Mushet, becoming the manager. The sons constantly quarrelled and just six weeks after their father’s death they attempted to sell Darkhill, and other works bequeathed to them, at auction in July 1847. Either there were no takers, or as seems more likely, it was withdrawn from sale.〔Keith Webb, ''Robert Mushet and the Darkhill Ironworks'', page 21-23〕 In September 1847 the brothers agreed to dissolve their partnership and the main furnace was probably never again in blast.〔(Darkhill-reports )〕 Robert, now free of family ties, went into partnership with a Birmingham merchant named Thomas Deykin Clare. Trading as R Mushet & Co., they opened a 'small experimental steelworks' on the upper terrace of Darkhill in 1848, called the Forest Steel Works.〔(Report on the Archaeological Digs at Darkhill Ironworks in the 1970s )〕 Robert produced some steel here, and some finished tools, but more importantly he made great progress in his experiments with steel alloys and it became clear that a new operation would be required to facilitate production. The alloy for which Robert held most aspiration was one using Titanium; so he named the new company ''The Titanic Steelworks and Iron Works Co. Ltd.'', known as ''The Titanic Steelworks''.〔Keith Webb, ''Robert Mushet and the Darkhill Ironworks'', page 75〕 It opened in October 1862, less than 250 yards from the old works of Darkhill. Three hundred men were employed there, but demand for the new alloys, and profits, did not meet expectations. Robert returned to his experiments and in 1868 he invented 'R Mushet's Special Steel' (R.M.S.). In 1870 Mushet met Samuel Osborn, a Shefield steelmaker, who persuaded him that the future of steel production lay the rapidly expanding industrial centre of Shefield. In 1871 the Titanic works were closed down and Mushet entered into a new agreement with Samuel Osborn. The agreement was straightforward, Osborn was given the sole right to manufacture R.M.S. and Mushet was to receive a royalty on every ton sold.〔(tilthammer.com/Steel city founders )〕 To ensure secrecy some of the specialised processes were still carried out in the Forest of Dean, overseen by Mushet himself, while Mushet's two sons Henry and Edward moved to Sheffield to oversee its manufacture. Samuel Osborn & Company went on to become the second largest steel firm in Sheffield. The Titanic company was wound up in 1874. By the 1960s the buildings had lost their roofs and many were bulldozed - the material being used as hardcore in the construction of the Severn Bridge.〔Keith Webb, ''Robert Mushet and the Darkhill Ironworks'', page 76〕 Darkhill Ironworks was finally sold by the brothers in 1864, to Samuel Morgan. By 1874 it was owned by the Severn & Wye Railway & Canal Co, who used part of the site to run their new railway across. In 1981 Darkhill was sold back to the Crown.〔Man of Iron, Man of Steel, page 128〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Darkhill Ironworks」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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