East Canaan in North Canaan in Northwest Hills Region, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Tuyere Arch
Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument
Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 15, 2011
1. Tuyere Arch Marker
Here at Beckley the oven was located on the hill to the east of the furnace stack and the downcomer entered the furnace via the east arch. The downcomer fed a semicircular horizontal pipe called the "bustle pipe" that carried the air to each tuyere arch. The simulated piping here shows the end of the bustle pipe entering from the right. Since the temperature of the blast air was about 800 degrees this arch would not have been a comfortable place to be when the furnace was in operation.
During the life of this furnace different arrangements of tuyeres were used. It is likely that only a single tuyere was included in the original 1847 design. The single tuyere arrangement is the one shown by the simulated piping in the arch.
At a later time this furnace had a total of 5 tuyeres. At that time there would have been two tuyeres in this arch and the arch opposite it and one in the large rear arch. While we do not exactly what the piping looked
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This area was also the exhaust for a ventilation system under the hearth. This system allowed air to circulate and vented any gas or steam that might build up thus keeping the hearth cooler and preventing explosions. This ventilation system was discovered when the furnace was restored.
Erected 2002 by Friends of Beckley Furnace, Inc.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1847.
Location. 42° 0.664′ N, 73° 17.541′ W. Marker is in North Canaan in Northwest Hills Region, Connecticut. It is in East Canaan. It can be reached from the intersection of Lower Road and Furnace Hill Road, on the left when traveling west. Located at Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 140 Lower Rd, East Canaan CT 06024, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Connecticut’s Berkshire Foothills and in the Litchfield Hills. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Litchfield County and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Birth of an Industry (a few steps from this marker); Salamander (a few steps from this marker); What Is This Place? (a few steps from this marker); Casting Arch & Furnace Hearth (a few steps from this marker); Samuel Forbes
Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 15, 2011
2. The Marker in Front of a Tuyere Arch
The marker is in front of one of the three tuyere arches. The fourth wall of the furnace structure contained the larger casting arch, where the molten iron was drawn off into molds.
Also see . . . Friends of Beckley Furnace. (Submitted on April 25, 2011, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 15, 2011
3. Tuyere Arch and Piping to the Tuyere Nozzle
Behind the bricks is the crucible holding molten iron. The tuyere nozzle is at the bottom of the pipe, to inject air into the crucible.
Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 15, 2011
4. The Beckley Furnace Tuyere Arch
Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 15, 2011
5. The dam across the Blackberry River at Beckley Furnace.
Water supplied power for the air blast which made the furnace more efficient.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2011, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 980 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 25, 2011, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
