It was at Ironbridge, Shropshire, that the large-scale production of cast iron was first developed using a process pioneered by Abraham Darby. Items made in Ironbridge were shipped all over the world.
Here in 1779 the world’s first cast iron bridge was built spanning the River Severn - beautifully constructed, totally innovative - today the Ironbridge stands as a permanent reminder of our industrial past.
Ironbridge is regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sitting alongside The Taj Mahal, The Pyramids and The Grand Canyon.
The nine Ironbridge Gorge Museums tell this momentous story and offer a chance to step back to a time when the pounding of steam hammers and clatter of horses’ hooves on cobbles were commonplace.
Get a "Passport Ticket" to visit them all – it’s undated and valid indefinitely, so you can take your time.
You can also visit The Maws Craft Centre, the Open Air Museum of Steel Sculpture, A Victorian Police Station and Old Court House. There are leisure boat trips on the River, walks and cycle ways and you can even turn your hand to making a Coracle with the Green Wood Trust.