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Bonawe Historic Iron Furnace

Taynuilt, Argyll
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Important notice

The buildings and visitor facilities will be closed on Monday 22 and Thursday 25 June but it will still be possible to explore the grounds.

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Founded in 1753, Bonawe is the most complete charcoal-fuelled ironworks in Britain. Visit to learn how pig iron was made, as well as cannonballs used in the Napoleonic Wars.

Bonawe Ironworks was opened in 1753 by a Cumbrian ironmaster, who was drawn to the area because the extensive woodland guaranteed an almost endless supply of charcoal. Plenty of water for powering the huge bellows was an added bonus!

It went on to be the longest-lived charcoal-fired blast furnace in Scotland, remaining in almost continuous production for over 120 years. 

Today, visitors are struck by its stunning setting at the head of Loch Etive, nearby Glen Nant National Nature Reserve. It's a great example of how Scotland's industrial past worked in tandem with the natural environment.

A large, triangular‑fronted stone building with three dark arched doorways along the base. The wall is made of rough, uneven stones with small square openings scattered across it. The building sits on a grassy slope, surrounded by trees
Black‑and‑white photograph of a rural site with several old stone buildings set on gently sloping grass. A tall, square stone structure with a small upper window stands to the right, with leafless trees surrounding it. A fence runs across the foreground, and more long, low stone buildings sit further back on the left
old stone building with small square openings in the wall and a large one at the base, with a yard in front and a wooden fence
Inside a dim stone building, two life‑sized mannequins dressed as workers stand on stepped stone platforms. One figure bends forward over a bag, while the other stands near a small opening in the wall. The walls and floor are made of rough red stone, and the sloping roof is supported by wooden beams

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