“Opening the Furnace” – Derwentcote Steel Furnace

Derwentcote Steel Furnace is a steel-making furnace built around 1930. It was restored in 1990 by English Heritage, and it is managed by the charity. When Northern Print announced the project, I did not have any knowledge of the site, but I decided to join the project anyway, as I am always eager to learn something new about the region.

I started gathering information. I used the English Heritage website at first, and then I found and read a report of historical research of the furnace published by Lancaster University Archaeological Unit. From my studies, I learnt about the cementation process, and I discovered that charcoal was extensively used to produce steel until 1891, and fragments of this material have been archaeologically found all around the site.

In late September, I visited the site to gather photographic evidence. When I walked around the site, I stood under the trees next to the building; I was fascinated by how the furnace stands proudly in the wild environment.

Once back home, I reflected on my research and decided to try to introduce charcoal into my cyanotype process, and I chose one of my pictures of the furnace to experiment with. I manipulated the image in order to create a negative to use, and I printed it on a A4 film at first. Once I tested it, I printed the definitive A3 size version to use for the final piece for the project.

After some unsuccessful experiments, I realised that it is impossible to use charcoal to tone the cyanotype, as you would normally do with other coloured materials. I made the final print using the cyanotype process on watercolour paper, I let it dry, and then I manually used charcoal sticks directly on the paper. I then used a paintbrush and water on it.

The project culminated in an exhibition that took place at Derwentcote Steel Furnace on 25th October 2025.

All studio members’ artworks be also be exhibited at the Northern Print gallery during Ouseburn Open Studios in late November (29th and 30th).