trail pdf
'Black forges smoke and noisy hammers beat'
The peaceful village of Tintern hides an unexpected hidden history. For 300 years its metal making industries were at the cutting edge of industrial development in Britain. Thick smoke once hung over the valley, while the blows of huge hammers repeatedly hitting metal echoed all around.
In 1600 Tintern's wireworks were the largest industrial enterprise in Wales, employing more than six hundred people. They were so successful that a blast furnace and forges were built; before long the complex of iron and wire works stretched for two miles up the valley, powered by more than 20 waterwheels. For centuries this industry dominated daily life in the Tintern area.
