Work begins on 'vital' repairs to historic dam

The 18th-Century dam has played a central role in steelmaking at the site

Work has got under way on long-term repairs to a damaged dam at a key industrial heritage site in Sheffield.

Two years ago, water burst through the dam walls at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and a temporary fix was put in place.

The hamlet is regarded as an important example of how Sheffield made its name around the world for steelmaking, and water power is at the site's heart.

Welcoming the £1.3m repair scheme, the hamlet's Pamela Cunningham-Hayes said: "The repairs are vital. This is a water-powered site. The water is taken from the River Sheaf and is held in this huge dam, and we need that water to power our machinery."

The hamlet charts the development of steelmaking in Sheffield, and the site is believed to have a history of ironworks dating back nearly 1,000 years.

The buildings of the hamlet sit next to a large dam which provides power for a range of tilt hammers, run by a restored water wheel.

The site is believed to have a history of ironworks dating back nearly 1,000 years

Ms Cunningham-Hayes, who manages the Embrace Abbeydale project, a two-year improvement scheme, said: "It has the only intact crucible furnace.

"The site made agricultural tools as well as specialist steels. It really has everything going for it."

The repair works to the dam are expected to be complete by summer 2026.

The work includes rebuilding and repointing displaced stone walls using traditional stonemasonry, installing clay linings and waterproof membranes to prevent future leaks, and grouting voids to reinforce weakened areas.

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