ehouse, James, and
Montague, who took a lease of Park End Furnace about the year 1825,
erected a large water-wheel to blow the furnace, and got to work in
1826. Having started this concern, Mr. Teague, who from
constitutional tendencies was always seeking something new, and
considered nothing done while aught remained to do, cast his eye on
Cinderford, which he thought presented the best prospects in the
locality; and after making arrangements with Messrs. Montague,
Church, and Fraser, those gentlemen with himself formed the first
'Cinderford Iron Company,' the writer joining the undertaking when
the foundations of the buildings were being laid. The scheme
comprehended two blast furnaces, a powerful blast engine still at
work, finery, forge, and rolling-mill, designed to furnish about
forty tons of tin-plate per week, with collieries and mine work.
Before the completion of the undertaking it was found that the outlay
so far exceeded their expectations and means that the concern became
embarrassed almost before it was finished, which, with the then great
depression of the iron trade during the years 1829 to 1832 inclusive,
led to the stoppage of the works, which had continued in operation
from November, 1829, till the close of 1832, in which state they
continued to 1835, when Mr. Teague again came to the rescue, and
induced Mr. William Allaway, a gentleman in the tin-plate trade, of
Lydbrook, to form, in connexion with Messrs. Crawshay, another
company. Mr. Teague having retired from the management of the
furnaces, that important post was filled by Mr. James Broad, a man of
great practical knowledge, who for twenty years succeeded in making
iron at Cinderford Furnaces of quality and in quantities which had
never been anticipated. There are now four blast furnaces, three of
which are always in use, and a new blast engine of considerable power
is in course of erection, in addition to the old engine, which has
been puffing away for twenty-eight years."

As narrated in an earlier part of this account, Park End long since
possessed a furnace and forge, though afterwards suppressed in 1674, and
not resumed until 1799, the date of the oldest iron furnace there. It is
situated about half a mile lower down the valley than the former one, and
was carried on by a Mr. Perkins. The Works were eventually sold to