Ironbridge

Ironbridge is an important historic location in Shropshire, England.

Ironbridge Gorge is a . It is one of the "birthplaces of industry" and central to the story of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain.

Most of Ironbridge is overseen by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. A year-long annual passport is available which allows entry to all the museums, and has traditionally been very good value for money if you intend to visit a number of them.

• Iron Bridge and tollhouse. The world's first Iron Bridge, built in 1779 - there is a small visitor's centre on one side.
• Museum of the Gorge, TF8 7NH, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am-5:00pm. A small museum, but containing a large diorama model of the gorge at the height of its industry. A visit here first helps to put all of the museums into context.
• Blists Hill Museum, TF7 5UD, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am–5:00pm. A living history museum and reconstructed Victorian town.
• Museum of Iron, Coalbrookdale, TF8 7DQ, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am-5:00pm. Abraham Darby's original blast furnace and a large Victorian warehouse, now housing a museum of the Coalbrookdale company.
• Enginuity, TF8 7DQ, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am-5:00pm. An interactive science & engineering museum aimed at children.
• Jackfield Tile Museum, Salthouse Rd, Jackfield, TF8 7LJ, +44 1952 884124. 10:00am-5:00pm. A privately-owned museum documenting the history of ceramic tiles.
• Coalport China Museum, High St, Telford, TF8 7HT, +44 1952 580650. 10:00am-5:00pm. The original home of Coalport china, now a museum.
• Broseley Pipe Works, +44 1952 433424. One of the Ironbridge Museums. A Victorian clay tobacco pipe works.
• Darby Houses Museum, 30 Darby Rd, Coalbrookdale,TF8 7EW. 11AM-3PM. Former houses belonging to Abraham Darby I, a Quaker and industrialist who developed a method of producing pig iron with a blast furnace using coke instead of charcoal which was vital to the Industrial Revolution. His work can be seen at the Museum of Iron.
• Tar Tunnel. 11:00am-3:00pm (From March - October 2018). A long, dark tunnel used to extract bitumen (or tar). It was previously open to the public, but is now unsafe to enter. The entrance however can still be seen by visitors.

Iron Bridge and tollhouse. The world's first Iron Bridge, built in 1779 - there is a small visitor's centre on one side.

Museum of the Gorge, TF8 7NH, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am-5:00pm. A small museum, but containing a large diorama model of the gorge at the height of its industry. A visit here first helps to put all of the museums into context.

Blists Hill Museum, TF7 5UD, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am–5:00pm. A living history museum and reconstructed Victorian town.

Museum of Iron, Coalbrookdale, TF8 7DQ, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am-5:00pm. Abraham Darby's original blast furnace and a large Victorian warehouse, now housing a museum of the Coalbrookdale company.

Enginuity, TF8 7DQ, +44 1952 433424. 10:00am-5:00pm. An interactive science & engineering museum aimed at children.

Jackfield Tile Museum, Salthouse Rd, Jackfield, TF8 7LJ, +44 1952 884124. 10:00am-5:00pm. A privately-owned museum documenting the history of ceramic tiles.

Coalport China Museum, High St, Telford, TF8 7HT, +44 1952 580650. 10:00am-5:00pm. The original home of Coalport china, now a museum.

Broseley Pipe Works, +44 1952 433424. One of the Ironbridge Museums. A Victorian clay tobacco pipe works.

Darby Houses Museum, 30 Darby Rd, Coalbrookdale,TF8 7EW. 11AM-3PM. Former houses belonging to Abraham Darby I, a Quaker and industrialist who developed a method of producing pig iron with a blast furnace using coke instead of charcoal which was vital to the Industrial Revolution. His work can be seen at the Museum of Iron.

Tar Tunnel. 11:00am-3:00pm (From March - October 2018). A long, dark tunnel used to extract bitumen (or tar). It was previously open to the public, but is now unsafe to enter. The entrance however can still be seen by visitors.

• Buildwas Abbey, Nr Ironbridge, TF8 7BW, +44 1952 433274. An ancient abbey ruin owned by English Heritage just outside Ironbridge. It is advisable to use a car to get to as, while it is within walking distance, it is a walk of around a mile along a road with no pavement. adults £3.60, children £2.20, concessions £3.20.
• The Green Wood Centre, Station Rd, Coalbrookdale, TF8 7DR, +44 1952 432769. A forest management and conversation centre.
• Benthall Hall, Benthall, nr Broseley, TF12 5RX, +44 1952 882159. Tu-W and Sa-Su (from February-October). Manor house run by the National Trust.

Buildwas Abbey, Nr Ironbridge, TF8 7BW, +44 1952 433274. An ancient abbey ruin owned by English Heritage just outside Ironbridge. It is advisable to use a car to get to as, while it is within walking distance, it is a walk of around a mile along a road with no pavement. adults £3.60, children £2.20, concessions £3.20.

The Green Wood Centre, Station Rd, Coalbrookdale, TF8 7DR, +44 1952 432769. A forest management and conversation centre.

Benthall Hall, Benthall, nr Broseley, TF12 5RX, +44 1952 882159. Tu-W and Sa-Su (from February-October). Manor house run by the National Trust.

There is a souvenir shop in the Ironbridge Gorge near the Iron Bridge itself and an online store for distance shopping.

• Ironbridge Gorge Museum Shop, 34 High St, Ironbridge, TF8 7AG, +44 1952 433253.

There is also a bookshop nearby.

• The Ironbridge Book Shop, 5 The Square, Ironbridge, TF8 7AQ, +44 1952 432273. 10AM-5PM. An independent bookshop known particularly for its inventory of near-antique Penguin Books.

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Shop, 34 High St, Ironbridge, TF8 7AG, +44 1952 433253.

The Ironbridge Book Shop, 5 The Square, Ironbridge, TF8 7AQ, +44 1952 432273. 10AM-5PM. An independent bookshop known particularly for its inventory of near-antique Penguin Books.

Various expensive pubs and nondescript curry houses / Italian restaurants. Also a good Thai place next to the bridge.

• Eighty-Six'd, 1a Waterloo St, TF8 7AA, +44 1952 432620. W-Su: 10AM-6PM, M-Tu: Closed. Cafe and art gallery with a creative menu of soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as typical cafe drinks, snacks and desserts. Vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free-friendly.

• Clays of Broseley, 67 High Street, Broseley, TF12 5EX, +44 1952 884667.
• Restaurant Severn, 33 High St, Ironbridge, TF8 7AG, +44 1952 432233. M-Tu: Closed, W-Sa: noon-4:30PM then 6PM-11PM, Su: noon-6PM.

Clays of Broseley, 67 High Street, Broseley, TF12 5EX, +44 1952 884667.

Restaurant Severn, 33 High St, Ironbridge, TF8 7AG, +44 1952 432233. M-Tu: Closed, W-Sa: noon-4:30PM then 6PM-11PM, Su: noon-6PM.

Eighty-Six'd, 1a Waterloo St, TF8 7AA, +44 1952 432620. W-Su: 10AM-6PM, M-Tu: Closed. Cafe and art gallery with a creative menu of soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as typical cafe drinks, snacks and desserts. Vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free-friendly.

A near-exhaustive list of pubs in the area can be found on this site.

• The Malt House, Wharfage, TF8 7NH, +44 1952 433712.
• The Swan Taphouse, 21 Wharfage, TF8 7NH, +44 1952 433108. M-Th: 11AM-11PM, F: 11AM-midnight, Sa: 9AM-midnight, Su: 9AM-10PM.
• The White Hart, 10 Wharfage, TF8 7AW, +44 1952 432901. 11AM-10PM10 Wharfage, Ironbridge, Telford TF8 7AW.

The Malt House, Wharfage, TF8 7NH, +44 1952 433712.

The Swan Taphouse, 21 Wharfage, TF8 7NH, +44 1952 433108. M-Th: 11AM-11PM, F: 11AM-midnight, Sa: 9AM-midnight, Su: 9AM-10PM.

The White Hart, 10 Wharfage, TF8 7AW, +44 1952 432901. 11AM-10PM10 Wharfage, Ironbridge, Telford TF8 7AW.

Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

You can head out by car:

• North to Telford
• South toward Much Wenlock, Bridgnorth and Church Stretton part of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
• West toward Shrewsbury and North Wales

It's worth exploring Wellington which, like Ironbridge, is part of the new-town of Telford, which has a nice town park which is worth a visit if you have children.

Telford Steam Railway is also a pleasant trip on a Sundays or Bank Holidays, as is a walk up the nearby Wrekin Hill.

North to [[Telford]]

South toward [[Much Wenlock]], [[Bridgnorth]] and [[Church Stretton]] part of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

West toward [[Shrewsbury (England)|Shrewsbury]] and [[North Wales]]