Charlotte and Daniel, two of our team, recently spent a day visiting Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, which is widely recognised as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Here is their fascinating blog about the trip.

Daniel and Charlotte in Ironbridge

We made our way to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ironbridge Gorge through beautiful rural Shropshire, in the West Midlands of England. The Gorge is not too far from both Attingham Park and Wroxeter's Roman ruins, two wonderful Shropshire attractions that can be seen on the journey from Shrewsbury.

The Ironbridge area has many museums that you can visit. If you plan on visiting a lot of them, we recommend an annual pass which allows you access to every museum.  

Firstly, we visited Blists Hill Victorian Town, an open-air museum with real buildings and replicas from the Victorian-era that have been moved into location for a sense of what it would have been like in Victorian times. 

Daniel at Blists Hill

All of the staff are friendly and informative as soon as you walk in. They want to interact and you can tell they are so passionate and knowledgeable about their role within the village.

The lady who ran the chemist’s shop / pharmacy, for example, was very knowledgeable, telling us all about how there was no national healthcare in the Victorian era, and that the chemist’s shop was always the first port of call for people, as it was a lot cheaper than visiting a doctor. 

In the 19th century chemist’s shop

We loved that the lady at the chemist’s shop was knitting as she told us stories, and when we asked about it, she said it was for another staff member, who worked outside, to keep her hands warm. She also had a project on the go to make a blanket for the cottage in the town. It was great to hear that she was putting something extra back into the town and it felt very authentic.

One of the displays in the chemist’s shop

In the photographer’s shop, we learnt why the Victorians always looked so serious in photos. Having a photo taken was expensive and it was a status symbol, so if people decided to spend their hard-earned cash, then a formal photo was preferred, as they didn't want to look frivolous or silly. We were then shown the process of how the photograph was taken, and the end result. So clever and interesting!

The Victorian photographer at Blists Hill

There are many businesses at Blists Hill which sell real items, instead of just having replica displays. There is the old school, where you can learn about Victorian teaching practices and the lessons people had in the 1800s and, to get even further into the Victorian way of life, the bank allows visitors to exchange some money for Victorian coinage to spend in the town. 

A lesson in the schoolroom at Blists Hill

One of the highlights, however, is the inn. The fire was going the day we were there and they were serving mulled wine which was quite festive - perfect for a fresh and crisp November day! There was music too (piano and singing), which really added to the atmosphere. It felt like you were in a traditional English pub, with lots of people enjoying a drink and the music.

The New Inn – a traditional English pub

Visiting in November meant we missed the spring and summer crowds at Blists Hill, but also, as it was before the Christmas season kicked in, it was quieter than usual, which made it ideal to get around and to see as much as possible.

Mulled wine in front of the fire at The New Inn

Next, we went to the town of Ironbridge itself, named for the Iron Bridge that crosses the gorge. The Iron Bridge is a symbol of the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, being the first bridge in the world to be made out of cast iron in 1781. Crossing over the bridge, you have stunning views on both sides along the gorge. 

Ironbridge in Shropshire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Ironbridge is a quaint town with a lot of independently run cafés and shops and plenty of parking for those who are self-driving. We decided on a café called Truffle, close to the river and bridge, where we stopped for a light lunch. Moonshine and Fuggles is a delightful little shop specialising in spirts, wines and ales and Ironbridge Antiques, Arts and Crafts is perfect for some unique shopping experiences! There is even a world-famous ‘hand raised’ (handmade) pork pie shop called Eley's.

Charlotte in Ironbridge

We visited the Museum of the Gorge which takes you into the old wharf, with information about the area's terrible flooding in the past, and the work in conserving the building. In fact, when we visited, some of the displays weren’t there due to recent flooding. For a free museum, it is well worth popping in.

The quaint Shropshire town of Ironbridge

Finally, we entered the Tollhouse, another free museum, which is located next to the bridge. The Tollhouse is a very small building, but it gives a very useful history of the bridge. We enjoyed learning about John "Iron Mad" Wilkson, who made one of the biggest monetary contributions towards the Iron Bridge. He was an ironmaster who tried to find as many uses for iron as possible, and even minted his own coins to pay his work force.

The Tollhouse in Ironbridge

In conclusion, we would highly recommend spending a few days in and around Ironbridge so you can visit all the museums and there’s even an English Heritage site, Buildwas Abbey, nearby. Visitors can also enjoy the lovely town of Bridgnorth, which is only a 20-minute drive away.

If you or your group would like to visit Ironbridge Gorge on a tailor-made tour of England, perhaps as part of an industrial heritage tour, please do contact our friendly team today.