Ore hearth

Period: 16th century

The ore hearth was a lead-smelting furnace in which ore mixed with fuel was burnt under a blast from bellows, usually driven by a waterwheel. It was introduced in England in the 16th century, replacing the wind-blown bole, and remained standard until partly superseded by the reverberatory furnace in the 18th century. Fuel was at first dried wood, later peat and coal. It did not exist in the 12th century.

Sources: historicengland.org.uk · historicengland.org.uk