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Broseley stands on the
woody edge of the Ironbridge Gorge, and dates back to Saxon
times.
By the 17th century it was a
prosperous industrial settlement with close links to Coalbrookdale
on the other side of the River Severn.
In the area known as Broseley
Wood, itinerant miners established a shanty town of squatter's
cottages and rough cabins.
The network of paths that threaded
their way through this sprawling community have been preserved
in the layout of the modern town. Known as 'jitties'
these winding lanes cling to the slopes of the hillside and
link a number of the town's street.
In the 18th & 19th centuries
Broseley developed as a major centre for coal mining, iron
manufacture and earthernware manufacture.
In 1779 the famous Iron Bridge
was built to link Broseley with Coalbrookdale, leading to
the creation of the town of Ironbridge. Broseley became
a haven for the rich ironmasters and merchants who thrived
in the wake of the Industrial Revolution.
Today, visitors can see that
the town's architecture is a haphazard mixture of three centuries
of building styles in a hilly and wooded setting.
Since the 15th century the town
was also famous for its clay tobacco pipes which were exported
all over the world.
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Broseley
Broseley
Pipeworks,
Clay Tobacco Pipe Museum Duke Street, Broseley, the
history of clay pipe production in Broseley dates back to at
least the 16th century, and the town had a reputation for producing
quality clay pipes. This tradition continued up until
1957 when Southorns, the last factory, closed. The Southorns
site is now a museum, one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums. The
original equipment remains in place and visitors can see where
the ball clay was prepared, the kiln and the packing area.
The bottle kiln has been restored and a resident pipemaker gives
demonstratons. Open: 21st May 2005-2nd Oct 2005, 13:00-17:00. 
