Ironbridge
Ironbridge is a village in the English county of Shropshire that lies in the West Midlands. It is perhaps best known to many people as the location of the world famous Ironbridge Gorge. This site is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Ironbridge’s parish is known as The Gorge.
Ironbridge became best known in the days of the Industrial Revolution. Many people, in fact, describe the area as being the birth place of the Industrial Revolution. This is based on the fact that the invention of iron/coke smelting was made here by Darby.
This invention allowed people to produce iron much more cheaply than with traditional methods which had involved using charcoal up to this point. This made a major contribution to the cost and overall efficiency of general industrial production in the country and, indeed, all over the world.
Following Darby’s invention the village of Ironbridge became one of the major producers of iron in the country. His innovative smelting process brought world renown to the village itself which was visited by many notable people who came to see the process being used for themselves at first hand.
Tar was also a big deal in Ironbridge. A tunnel that was dug by miners in a hill in the village in the late 1700s hit a spring of tar that was used at the time in ropemaking, medicinal purposes and ship caulking. Tar still springs out of the tunnel’s walls to this day and the tunnel is a popular tourist attraction in the village.
Ironbridge was also home to the world famous china manufacturer, Coalport, for many years. The Coalport factory operated from the village from the late 1700s until the early 1900s before moving to Staffordshire. Today Ironbridge’s industries are mainly tied into tourism given the significance of the village as a tourist site.
Visitors to Ironbridge cannot fail to see and take in the beauty of the Ironbridge Gorge. The Iron Bridge that stands here is also well known. It was the first bridge in the world to be completely made out of cast iron. The old 16th century hunting lodge that stands close by at Lincoln Hill is also interesting.
If you are visiting Ironbridge in August then you may also be lucky enough to see the famous Coracle Regatta which is held on the River Severn here. Other points of interest include the Victorian town at Blist’s Hill, the Museum of Iron, the Museum of the Gorge and the Enginuity Museum. The Coalport China Factory and the Jackfield Tile Museum are also of interest to many visitors.
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