The Iron Bridge, Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire
Iron Bridge - A World First in Architecture
The Iron Bridge that crosses the River Severn in Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire was the first cast-iron bridge in the world. It dates from 1781 and is a symbol of the Industrial Revolution.
Ironbridge is now registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its role in the beginnings of Britain's Industrial Revolution.
Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK connected with the Industrial Revolution are the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, Saltaire in Yorkshire and the Derwent Valley Mills Mills in Derbyshire.
The success of the bridge led to the later widespread use of cast iron as a structural element. For example, cast iron was used in the footbridges over the Kennet and Avon Canal in Bath at Cleveland House and later in the Greenwich Foot Tunnel that runs under the River Thames in East London. Tickford Bridge in Newport Pagnell dating from 1810 is another cast iron bridge and still carries road traffic.
History
The bridge was designed by Thomas Farnolis Pritchard, a local architect who mostly worked on interiors. His design is based on the structure of a timber bridge and construction began in 1777. He died before the bridge was completed in 1779.
Consisting of a single span of just over 100 feet, the bridge opened to traffic in 1781. An Art of Parliament was passed to allow the project to proceed and funds were raised by subscription. The tolls were levied to pay back the subscribers. The bridge proved to be highly profitable and the investors made a healthy profit on their investment.
The construction and the casting of the parts was undertaken by Abraham Darby III, the third generation of a local iron-making family.
The initial purpose of the bridge was to connect the industrial town of Broseley with the mining town of Madeley.
In 1934 the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic, but tolls were still charged to pedestrians crossing the bridge until 1950.
The bridge has been recently renovated and is now painted a dark red.
Architecture & Construction
A single span was adopted for the bridge to allow boats on the river to pass easily underneath.
The 1,700 individual components were cast individually with the heaviest weighing 5.3 tons (5,300 kg).
A moveable wooden scaffold in the river with a derrick allowed the pieces to be assembled.
The town of Ironbridge subsequently developed at the northern end of the bridge.
Other cast iron bridges in Britain inspired by Iron Bridge include Buildwas Bridge (1795-96) in Shropshire designed by Scottish architect Thomas Telford, Coalport Bridge (1818) also in Shropshire, Craigellachie Bridge (1814) across the River Spey in Scotland, again by Telford, and Wearmouth Bridge (1793-96) in County Durham, the second iron bridge built after the Iron Bridge and over twice as long. It was also designed by the prolific bridge-builder Thomas Telford.
Access
Ironbridge can be reached by bus from Bridgnorth (#8), Much Wenlock (#18), Shrewsbury (#436) and Telford (#4). The 436 bus connects Bridgnorth, Much Wenlock, Ironbridge and Shrewsbury.
The three closest railway stations to Ironbridge Gorge are Telford, Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton. Trains from Telford connect with Chester Station in Chester and Shrewsbury.
Wolverhampton Station has trains to Birmingham New Street, London Euston, Holyhead via Shrewsbury and Chester, Liverpool Lime Street, Shrewsbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly.
Shrewsbury Station has trains to Chester Station and on to Holyhead on Anglesey.
There are also trains to Aberystwyth, Birmingham New Street, Crewe, Coventry, Manchester Piccadilly Station in Manchester, Cardiff Central in Cardiff, Wolverhampton and Wrexham.
By car the town is about 50 minutes from Birmingham on the M6 and M54 motorways. From Aberystwyth take the A44. Driving time is about two hours, 20 minutes. There is a 250 space Ironbridge Park and Ride service operating from April until October.
Accommodation
Ironbridge has several recommended places to stay. Choose from the Ye Olde Robin Hood Inn, with a garden and full English breakfast, the four-star Telford Hotel & Golf Resort just outside town with a gym, spa and 18-hole golf course or the Heritage View Guest House just a 2-minute walk from the gorge.
See a listing on hotels in and near Ironbridge
Nearby
15 km east of Ironbridge is the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford, one of Britain's many fine aviation museums. Cosford's collection includes both passenger aircraft, fighter planes and bombers from the UK and overseas. Among the many planes on display are an Avro Vulcan, de Havilland Mosquito TT.35, Gloster Gladiator I, Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire I.
Wenlock Priory in the village of Much Wenlock dates to the 12th century. Now ruined, the priory was dissolved in 1540, with many of the buildings destroyed at the time. The site is now managed by English Heritage. The spacious grounds contain a collection of topiary.
Map
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