These buildings first depicted on the 1952 OS 1:1250 plan SK3390 now house the Hillfoot Steel Group (stockholders, forgings and tool steels). The largest of the group was constructed as a bus garage. The area was developed from enclosed valley floor meadows, although documentary and field name evidence indicates a longer history of industrial production. The fields from which this development were created are shown on a 1783 Fairbanks sketch map (reproduced in Crossley et al 1989, 7) as Upper Dam, Furnace Hill and Cinder Hill indicating the presence of a water powered blast furnace within this polygon. This is believed to be the Wadsley Furnace, one of two built for the Earl of Shrewsbury (the other being at Kimberworth). See SMR PRN 3543. No legibility of earlier types