Ironbridge

This article is about the place in Shropshire. For the iron structure, see The Iron Bridge. For other uses, see Iron Bridge (disambiguation).

Ironbridge
Ironbridge, seen from the Iron Bridge
Ironbridge Ironbridge shown within Shropshire
Population	2,582 (2011)^[1]
OS grid reference	SJ6724903350
Civil parish	The Gorge
Unitary authority	Telford and Wrekin
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TELFORD
Postcode district	TF8
Dialling code	01952
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Telford
List of places UK England Shropshire

Coordinates: 52°37′40″N 2°29′06″W / 52.6277°N 2.485°W / 52.6277; -2.485

Ironbridge is a village on the River Severn, at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge, in Shropshire, England. It lies in the civil parish of The Gorge, in the borough of Telford and Wrekin. Ironbridge developed beside, and takes its name from, the famous Iron Bridge, a 30-metre (100 ft) cast iron bridge that was built across the river in 1779.

History

The area around Ironbridge is described by those promoting it as a tourist destination as the "Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution". This description is based on the idea that Abraham Darby perfected the technique of smelting iron with coke, in Coalbrookdale, allowing much cheaper production of iron. However, the industrial revolution did not "begin" in one place, but in many.

Darby's iron smelting was but one small part of this generalised revolution and was soon superseded by the great iron-smelting areas. However, the bridge – being the first of its kind fabricated from cast iron, and one of the few which have survived to the present day – remains an important symbol representative of the dawn of the industrial age.

The grandson of the first Abraham Darby, Abraham Darby III, built the famous bridge – originally designed by Thomas Farnolls Pritchard – to link the two areas. Construction began in 1779 and the bridge opened on New Year's Day 1781. Soon afterwards the ancient Madeley market was relocated to the new purpose-built square and Georgian Butter Cross and the former dispersed settlement of Madeley Wood gained a planned urban focus as Ironbridge, the commercial and administrative centre of the Coalbrookdale coalfield.

The Iron Bridge proprietors also built the Tontine Hotel to accommodate visitors to the new bridge and the industrial sites of the Severn Gorge. On the hillside above the river are situated the stone-built 16th-century hunting lodge at Lincoln Hill, many 17th- and 18th-century workers' cottages, some imposing Georgian houses built by ironmasters and mine and canal barge owners, and many early Victorian villas built from the various coloured bricks and tiles of the locality.

St Luke's Church (1837) in simple Commissioners' Gothic by Samuel Smith of Madeley, has stained glass by David Evans of Shrewsbury. The living was endowed as a rectory when the parish was created from Madeley in 1847 and is now a united benefice with Coalbrookdale and Little Wenlock, in the Diocese of Hereford.

The former Iron Bridge and Broseley railway station, on the Severn Valley line (GWR) from Hartlebury to Shrewsbury, was situated on the south side of the Iron Bridge until 1966. The village was the birthplace of England National Football Team captain Billy Wright.

Present day

The Iron Bridge

By the 19th century, Ironbridge had had many well-known visitors, including Benjamin Disraeli, but by the mid-20th century the settlements and industries of the gorge were in decline. In 1986, though, Ironbridge became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (which covers the wider Ironbridge Gorge area) and has become a major tourist attraction within Shropshire. Most industries in Ironbridge are now tourist-related; however, the Merrythought teddy bear company (established in 1930) is still manufacturing in Ironbridge and has a small museum there too. Amongst other things, the village is still host to a Post Office, pharmacy, various pubs, cafés and many successful small shops.

On Thursday 10 July 2003 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh made a visit to Shropshire which included a visit to Ironbridge, and a walk over the bridge itself.^[2]

An annual Coracle Regatta is held in August on the River Severn at Ironbridge, along with many other events throughout the year. This is mainly because the coracle-making family of Rogers lived in Ironbridge for several generations. Just outside Ironbridge in Coalbrookdale is the Ironbridge Institute, a partnership between the University of Birmingham and the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust offering postgraduate and professional development in heritage.

Flooding

Ironbridge has an annually recurring problem of flooding from the River Severn, as do many other parts of Shropshire. Flooding has previously caused much damage and disruption to the Wharfage, which accommodates both The Swan and White Hart pubs, and various private homes. Starting in February 2004, DEFRA in association with the Environment Agency implemented a portable barrier which is erected at times of floods. At its peak, the flood water has reached a depth of one metre against the barrier.

References

↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Royal visit timetable

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ironbridge.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ironbridge.

River Severn, Great Britain

Administrative areas	Powys Shropshire Worcestershire Gloucestershire Monmouthshire South Gloucestershire Bristol North Somerset Somerset Newport Cardiff Vale of Glamorgan

Settlements	Llanidloes Newtown Welshpool Shrewsbury Ironbridge Bridgnorth Bewdley Stourport Worcester Tewkesbury Gloucester Berkeley Chepstow Avonmouth

Major tributaries	River Vyrnwy River Tern Cound Brook River Stour River Teme Warwickshire Avon River Wye Bristol Avon River Usk

Flows into	Severn Estuary Bristol Channel

Linked canals	Staffordshire and Worcestershire Worcester and Birmingham Droitwich Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Thames and Severn Coalport Gloucester and Sharpness Stroudwater Navigation Coombe Hill

Major crossings	Welsh Bridge English Bridge The Iron Bridge Mythe Bridge Over Bridge Severn Bridge Aust Severn Powerline Crossing Severn Tunnel Second Severn Crossing All crossings of the River Severn

Longest UK rivers Severn Thames Trent Great Ouse Wye Ure/Ouse Tay Spey Clyde Tweed Avon Nene Eden Dee

Settlements on the River Severn between Llandrinio and Ironbridge (heading downstream)

Llandrinio Ford Montford Shrewsbury Uffington Atcham Wroxeter Cound Cressage Buildwas Ironbridge

Settlements on the River Severn between Ironbridge and Bewdley (heading downstream)

Ironbridge Jackfield Coalport Bridgnorth Quatford Quatt Hampton & Hampton Loade (chain ferry) Highley Alveley Upper Arley Bewdley

Ceremonial county of Shropshire

Unitary authorities	Shropshire Council Telford and Wrekin Council

Major settlements	Bishop's Castle Bridgnorth Broseley Church Stretton Cleobury Mortimer Clun Craven Arms Ellesmere Ludlow Market Drayton Much Wenlock Newport Oswestry Shifnal Shrewsbury Telford (Dawley Madeley Oakengates Wellington) Wem Whitchurch See also: List of civil parishes in Shropshire

Rivers	Camlad Clun Corve Ledwyche Onny Perry Rea Rea Brook Redlake Roden Severn Teme Tern Unk Vyrnwy Worfe

Canals	Llangollen Canal Montgomery Canal Shrewsbury Canal Shropshire Union Canal

Topics	Flag Geology Settlements History Museums Schools Parliamentary constituencies SSSIs Country houses Grade I listed buildings Grade II* listed buildings Lord Lieutenants High Sheriffs Railways Windmills

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 136114241 GND: 4109152-8

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