This mid-18th century iron smelter used charcoal derived from local woods. The choice of site here, and at the better known Bonawe works was based on access to this fuel, water to power the draft and access by sea for raw materials and markets.

Charcoal was the fuel used in iron smelting until Abraham Darby succeeded in using coke at Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, in the early 18th century.

This was one of several Scottish sites established by iron-masters from the Furness district of Lancashire – an area with an extensive iron-smelting industry which faced severe pressures on its fuel supplies.