Between 1700-1850 Britain moved from a situation in which she was unable to supply a large part of her home market to being the world's largest producer and exporter of iron. In this work, Professor Harris sets out to show how earlier views on the economic and technological development of the industry have been revised in the light of further research, and explains the subject for the student approaching it for the first time. Professor Harris is author of The Copper King and co-author of A Merseyside Town in the Industrial Revolution.