The Plymouth Ironworks was a major 18th century and 19th century

ironworks An ironworks or iron works is an industrial plant where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e. the singular of ''ironworks'' is ''ironworks''. Ironworks succeeded bloome ...

located on land leased from the Earl of Plymouth at

Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil () is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydfil, daughter of K ...

, in

South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

. The metal produced was considered to be the finest in South Wales. The Ironworks was established by John Guest and Isaac Wilkinson in 1763, but the venture was unsuccessful and transferred to Anthony Bacon in 1765. On his death in 1788, Richard Hill became the owner. Anthony Hill, a later owner, adopted the

Bessemer process The Bessemer process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass production of steel from molten pig iron before the development of the open hearth furnace. The key principle is steelmaking, removal of impurities and undesired eleme ...

. On his death in 1862, the company was taken over by Fothergill, Hankey and Bateman until its closure in 1882.

References

Ironworks and steelworks in Wales 1763 establishments in Great Britain British companies established in 1763 {{Wales-struct-stub