Catcliffe glass cone

THE CATCLIFFE GLASS CONE IS SITUATED IN the village of Catcliffe in South Yorkshire, in the city of Sheffield. It is the oldest surviving such structure of its type in Western Europe and measures 70 feet high. Glass cones consisted of a large coal-fired central furnace, a flue to carry waste gas to the top of the structure and away. Smaller furnaces around the walls were available to ensure the finished products maintained their temperature and there was a circular platform on which workers stood while making their glassware. Louvered vents could be used to control the flow of air and thus maintain the required temperatures in the structure