Early medieval iron production at Glenlee, Dumfries and Galloway

In 2020–21, excavations at Glenlee Power Station, near New Galloway, uncovered the remains of an iron bloomery mound (NGR: NX 60607 80411). The site comprised three large working hollows, containing truncated ironworking features, including furnace basal pits, and other clusters of pits, post holes and ditches. Over 450kg of vitrified debris was recovered, containing smelting slag, bloom, plano-convex bases, possible clay tuyère fragments, and other ironworking debris. Analysis of the ironworking remains indicates that the site was used primarily for iron smelting with some evidence for bloom smithing and blacksmithing. Radiocarbon dates place the site within the early medieval period, making it the largest iron smelting assemblage and the only known bloomery site recognised so far from this period in Scotland.