The forgotten powerhouse in Surrey-Sussex border forest

Long before the Industrial Revolution reshaped Britain, the Sussex Weald was already alive with heat and hammering.

Fernhurst Furnace, tucked deep into woodland near the Surrey border, is a surviving relic of Britain’s early iron industry.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the site produced cast iron for making household items, farm tools and cannons.

Speaking to BBC Secret Sussex at the site, researcher Jeremy Hodgkinson said the furnace “stood as tall as a house”.

“The sound of the industry would have been all around us.

“The roar of the furnace, the sounds of people digging iron ore and chopping down trees for making charcoal.

“There would have been a lot of workmen here in one way or another.”

But he added: “All you can hear now is the wind in the trees, the sound of birdsong, and the gentle trickle of water.”