Industrial units on the site of the water powered site in operation between at least 1581 until final conversion to steam power in the later 18th century. From 1637 the works were under the control of iron master Lionel Copley. By 1819 72 grinding troughs were in operation powered by 2 wheels which were in operation for 16-30 hours per week. By 1849 the capacity of the works had been enlarged by the construction of the much larger reservoir marked as New Dam (see HSY 1302). At around this time the works were concentrating on forging rather than grinding. The dams are shown as disused by 1891. The buildings and tail goit of the Wardsend Steel Works are shown on the 1973 OS 1:10000 mapping however by 1983 they have been replaced by the present complex. Fragmentary legibility of the earlier works likely.