Högfors Ironworks
In the 18th century and well into the 20th century, many manor houses became small cultural hubs, with libraries, art on the walls, and musical evenings. They were the cultural institutions of their time, where new ideas were discussed and culture was spread throughout the country.
At Högfors Ironworks, the artist Florrie Hamilton turned the manor into a meeting place for the women’s movement of the 1930s–1950s. Among others, Emilia Fogelklou rented the manor for five years.
Once upon a time, Högfors Ironworks, then a crown ironworks, housed one of Sweden’s largest bar iron hammers. In the 18th century, it was taken over by ironmasters. During the latter half of the 19th century, it became a limited company, with Member of Parliament Hugo Hamilton as its CEO.
Eventually, the ironworks were sold, but the Hamilton family remained at the manor, where later Hugo Hamilton’s daughter, the artist Florrie, turned the manor into a hub for the women’s movement of the 1930s–1950s.
Today, as you walk through the beautiful surroundings around the manor, stop to admire the mirror-like surface of the dam, continue to enjoy the fascinating blast furnace ruins, which were in operation until 1953, it is hard to imagine the life and activity that once thrived here when the furnace was active. At its peak, the ironworks employed 250 people, including those in iron processing, forestry, and agriculture. Around 350 people lived here.
Most workers lived in cramped, squalid barracks with no modern amenities.
The walls were thin, and the cold seeped in during the freezing winter nights.
It was often the women who were responsible for the homes, ensuring the fire in the stove was always burning. The fire allowed no sleep-ins or days off; it constantly needed more wood. Water had to be fetched from the outdoor pump, and after use indoors, carried out again.
The last blast furnaces at Högfors were built in 1915–1916 but were shut down 38 years later. Today, only ruins remain. Apart from the manor, the enormous charcoal house still stands, where all the charcoal needed to keep operations running was stored.
The ironmasters and their families often lived lives of prosperity, and the children grew up surrounded by abundance. It was generally expected that they would attend university. Traveling abroad to explore the world was also common.
While many ironmasters were primarily interested in preserving their wealth and ensuring their own families’ comfort, some of their children brought back new ideas they had picked up on their travels. They had a more humane view of people than their parents and openly shared these ideas.
Many manor houses became small cultural hubs, with libraries, art on the walls, and musical evenings. Indeed, the ironworks of Bergslagen were the cultural institutions of their time, where new ideas were discussed and culture spread across the country.
An author who was greatly influenced by Högfors was Agnes von Krusenstjerna. She described the ironworks in her novel series *Fattigadel* (Part Two: *Dunklet mellan träden*). In the book, the main character Viveca von Lagercrona (Agnes’s alter ego) follows Donald to the furnace:
“Sometimes she also accompanied Donald to the furnace to watch the casting. When the iron, like burning gold, flowed forth, she tightly squeezed Donald’s hand. The men, moving like black shadows in front of this stream of burning gold, the rattling sound of the flowing iron, the shadowy furnace itself, where the workers’ tools loomed mysteriously, made a deep impression on her. This glowing, flowing, burning mass, which resembled the rich treasure of a mythical king, then solidified and cooled into gray, dead iron. A transformation that left one feeling melancholy. It was as if a beautiful butterfly, fluttering in the sunlight with golden dust on its wings, had suddenly met the harsh fate of becoming an ugly and insignificant chrysalis again. When the iron burned, Viveca felt as if she and Donald were experiencing a miracle together.”
This can be found on page 118 of the original 1936 edition.
Feel free to read the entire novel, where Högfors is referred to as “Igelfors.”
Facts
Impressive blast furnace ruins from the mid-20th century.
Högfors is first mentioned in 1464, when knight and district chief Svarte Sigge Jönsson owned it. In 1545, Gustav Vasa granted two merchants from Västerås the privilege to build a bar iron hammer here.
In the 18th century, the ironworks transitioned from being a crown property to being privately owned by ironmasters.
The blast furnace ruins that can still be seen today were built in 1915–1916 and were in operation until 1953.
The charcoal house, which still stands, is 150 meters long and one of Sweden’s largest wooden structures.
Explore the area on your own. Well signposted.
Foto: Toppbild: Fredrik Findahl