The need for water:

As well as wood (later coal), limestone and iron ore, water was essential to supply the furnace and drive the mills - the water was obtained from the furnace brook which was marked (although not named) on the 1775 Yates map:

Furnace Brook - highlighted on the Yates map

Today is is all but impossible to locate the trickle of water which is Furnace Brook, it is hard to imagine that it was powerful enough to supply the furnace needs and drive the mill wheels.
However 1843 Ward records:

“Furnace Brook.. rises a short distance above the mill from several powerful springs in the hamlet of Normicot, which gush under the sandstone formation of Meir Heath, and set three or four other mills in motion within about the distance of a mile”

 

“.....One of these springs is called by the cottagers the Lud-wall, retaining its Saxon origin (Leod-wall, the people’s well) and is mentioned in the charter of Hulton Abbey."

Ward - The Borough of Stoke-upon-Trent

Other evidence of the sources of water found in the name of
Watery Lane as recorded on this postcard c.1910

Also there is the nearby "Spring Road"

"A Mapp of the Royalty of Normecote"
c.1714

This section of the 1714 map shows the northern part of Lightwood Common and the fields are marked on it. The location of some of the current Normacot roads have been added.

Of note are the references to water, top right to bottom left along what is now Star & Garter Road is "A Spring"; "Ludwall Spring" (at the end of what is now Ludwall Road); and "Monkswall Spring"

Also of note is "Furnace Croft"