Cades Ironworks

Cades ironworks is a remarkably complete forge and corn mill dating from 1752 in the countryside of Cantabria. The ironworks and the corn mill both use water from the Nansa River. The forge is of the Catalan type that was used in north-east Spain, south-west France and Spanish North America. It has a low furnace set into the ground with air blown in by bellows. The iron ore is put on top of a fire of burning charcoal then taken out and hammered. The process is repeated again and again until an ingot of malleable iron is produced. Exceptionally, the waterwheel of the forge has been restored to working order and visitors on guided tours see and hear it operating a hammer and bellows and smell hot charcoal and iron. Visitors can walk nearby to see where wood was grown for charcoal. Next to the forge, the water-powered corn mill is also in working order and visitors see the process of making flour.