Ironbridge Gorge

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ironbridge Gorge (1986). The Iron Bridge, Completed In 1779, Was The First Major Bridge In The World To Be Built Of Cast Iron, And The Gorge Is The Birthplace Of Coke Fired Iron Smelting At Coalbrookdale. Several Museums Operated By The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. · Ironbridge, England

Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1986) and one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution. The Iron Bridge, finished in 1779, was the first major bridge in the world made of cast iron, and nearby Coalbrookdale is where Abraham Darby proved coke-fired iron smelting. The sights are not in one spot but spread over several miles of wooded Severn gorge, with about ten museums run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, among them the Museum of the Gorge, Coalport, the Jackfield tile museum and Blists Hill Victorian Town, a living-history site with costumed staff and period shops. A combined passport ticket usually covers most of them, and the bridge itself is free to see and walk. It suits families, engineering fans and history lovers, but you need a car or good legs, because the hills are steep and parking is tight. Allow a full day at least. Some venues are seasonal and shut in winter.

Wooded river gorge of the Severn in Shropshire, with the Iron Bridge at the village of Ironbridge, the Museum of the Gorge, Coalport, Jackfield tile museum and the Blists Hill Victorian Town spread along it, Ironbridge, England, United Kingdom

The Iron Bridge and the village of Ironbridge can be walked at any time and are free. The individual museums keep their own hours, commonly opening daily or on most days from about mid-morning to late afternoon in the main season, with reduced days and some venues closed in winter. Blists Hill Victorian Town is the biggest site and usually has the longest day in summer. Last entry is typically an hour or more before closing. Hours vary by museum and year, so confirm on the Trust's information before you plan a route, and check that the venues you most want are open on the day you travel.

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