Dunston, Gateshead
Dunston Forge
Last Updated:
8 Mar 2021
Dunston, Gateshead
This is a
Forge
Forge Road, Dunston
Founded in
Current status is
Demolished
Designer (if known):
The site is now a housing development
'Dunston Forge shown on Ordnance Survey 1st edition map. High Team Forge. The 1st edition Ordnance Survey mapping shows its associated mill races. In June 1735 Theodosia Crowley took leases from the Rev. Robert Thomlinson, Rector of Whickham of a corn mill on the River Team called Teams Bridge High Mill and miln ground on the north side of the mill race, and adjoining Parish Meadow and Thorney closes, and Low Teams Bridge Mill (Dunston Forge?), together with all the slitting mills, steel furnaces, other mills, forges, workhouses, messuages etc. A further steel furnace was erected at the upper Teams Mill between 1735 and 1740. The purchase of these leases was assisted by a mortgage granted by the Rev. R. Thomlinson. His loan of £5100 was still outstanding in 1756. Daniel Walter, a senior clerk from Winlaton was transferred temporarily to the new works to instruct an agent employed in the new purchase at Teams. Angerstein in 1753 found former employees of William Bertram (of Blackhall Mill HER 1017) making German shear steel for the Crowleys at Teams. Good quality iron was cemented, the blister steel drawn down, recemented and faggotted, drawn down, again recemented and faggotted, finally being made into bars of rectangular section about 4 feet long. It was charcoal heated and sold at 10d per pound. The Teams works were still being operated in 1854. The Teams forges used water power to drive the bellows, hammers and rollers - operations carried out included forging pig iron into bar iron, founding pig iron and scrap iron into cast moulds, rolling and slitting bar iron into nail rods, and steel-making. In addition at Teams, bands and hoops were cut for barrels.'
- Sitelines
Listing Description (if available)
The first and second editions of the Ordnance Survey above illustrate Dunston Forge during the 19th century. The forge was adjacent to the Tanfield Branch and had utilised it by the end of the 19th century.
At the time of the first edition, the forge was situated in a semi rural area close to Farmacres Colliery and Low Teams, at the top of Dunston Hill. By the second edition Gateshead had expanded greatly and just over the railway to Dunston Staiths was the Low Teams industrial area. The terraces of Dunston were also encroaching the site.
By 1921, Dunston Forge was enveloped by the growing sprawl of Gateshead, with housing developments and industry on either side.
Dunston Station, built 1909 as a terminus for a shuttle service to Newcastle was close to the site, and the branch going to Dunston Staiths had further expanded its sidings.