Located on the north bank of the River Severn, Ironbridge is a historic town in the Shropshire borough of Telford and Wrekin. It lies at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ironbridge Gorge, which is often referred to as the “Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution”. It was here that Abraham Darby experimented with iron smelting, resulting in the town’s iconic cast-iron bridge.
Things to do in Ironbridge
On the banks of the River Severn are the remains of the Bedlam Furnace, which was built in the 1750s by the Madeley Wood Company. It was one of the first of its kind to be used specifically for coke smelting and later functioned as a brick kiln. After being abandoned in the 1840s, the site now forms part of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.
No visit is complete without viewing the Iron Bridge itself, which was constructed in the 1770s across the River Severn. It was the world’s first major bridge to be constructed from cast iron, making it a pioneering structure of the Industrial Revolution. Occupying the toll house at one end is a small museum detailing the history of the river crossing.
East of Ironbridge’s town centre is Dale End Park, a picturesque green space and recreational hub that has been used by the local community since 1870. In addition to its landscaped garden beds and benches for watching the world go by, there is a children’s playground, sporting fields and riverside walking trails to explore.
Getting around Ironbridge
Ironbridge is around 30 minutes’ drive from Wolverhampton and 45 minutes from the centre of Birmingham. Birmingham Airport is an hour away and has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular buses connect to Ironbridge and the town centre is small enough to explore on foot.