Ironbridge Tourist Information

Museum of the Gorge, a short walk along the river from the Iron Bridge is the Old Severn Warehouse, dating from 1834, a Gothic building used by the Coalbrookdale Company as a riverside warehouse. Now it holds an exhibition covering the history of the whole gorge.Features a 40 ft scale model of the valley as in 1796, shortly before the construction of the famous bridge.  A good place to start a visit to the Ironbridge Gorge.
Open: daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

The Iron Bridge and Toll House, The Iron Bridge, the great symbol of the British iron industry, spans the River Severn at the heart of the small town that bears its name. Constructed in 1779/80 by Abraham Darby III's Coalbrookdale Company, the bridge has attracted admirers from all over the world.  The original tollhouse on the south side of the bridge now holds a exhibition about its history. Open: daily 10:00-17:00  Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

Blists Hill Victorian Town, set above 30 acres of woodland walks on the banks of the Shropshire Canal, this is one of Britain's largest open air museums. Industrial monuments and Victorian buildings have been used to recreate a late-19th century industrial town.  Rescued and replica buildings include a bank, public house, chemist, grocers, bakers, candlemaker, and school, as well as industrial buildings such as a saw mill, iron foundry, printing shop and railway siding.  Museum staff in costumes demonstrate skills including iron casting and candle-dipping. The cottage gardens and small holdings have pigs, chickens and goats. Exchange your money for Victorian pounds, shillings and pence and purchase traditional souvenirs. Products on sale include cast-iron and copper-ware made on site.  There are also freshly made bread and buns, traditional sweets and chemist recipes. Summer events. A section of the Shropshire Canal runs through Blists Hill to the Hay Inclined Plane.  From 1792-1894 this was used to transport boats up and down the 207 ft. Open: 7 days a week from 10:00-16:00, to 17:00 in summer Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron and Darby Houses, smelting iron with coke instead of charcoal was perfected by Abraham Darby I in 1709.  This led to the Industrial Revolution and Darby's iron works at Coalbrookdale was producing a quarter of Britain's iron.  In the Victorian era it was producing intricate decorative metalwork. Coalbrookdale survived virtually intact and still contains the blast furnace, factories, workshops, ironmasters' houses, workers' cottages, chapels and church. All give an insight into this industrial community that flourished from 1715 - 1900.  The Museum contains a collection of iron products created by the Coalbrookdale Company and visitors can relax among iron statues at the cafe.
Open: Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron - all year 10:00-17:00; The Darby Houses Summer:12 Mar-Oct 10:00-17:00 Winter: Closed  Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

Coalport China Museum and Tar Tunnel, built alongside the Shropshire Canal, the Coalport China works were opened by John Rose in 1796 and remained in production until 1926. Edwardian buildings on the site of the original works house the Coalport and Caughley porcelain collections. Displays exploring factory life, demonstration workshops and a children's gallery.  A short walk along the Canal is the Tar Tunnel, carved into the hillside in 1786 to connect the underground workings of the Blist Hill mines with the Coalport Canal and the River Severn. Excavation revealed natural bitumen it became obvious that it would be more profitable to exploit the tar than use the tunnel to transport coal to the river.  Visitors don hard hats and walk underground to see this natural phenomenon for themselves.
Open: Tar Tunnel Summer only 12 Mar-Oct 10:00-17:00 ; China Museum : open all year 10:00-17:00 Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

Jackfield Tile Museum across the river from Coalport, this occupies a two-storey purpose-built Victorian decorative tile factory.  During the late-19th century millions of Jackfield tiles decorated the houses of the British Empire. Collection of decorative tiles and ceramics displayed in gas-lit galleries. Modern tile-making demonstrations, and the Great Rock Sandwich exhibition, explaining the geology here. Note: some parts of the museum now re-opened, restoration taking place in the rest, visitors can see restoration taking place  Open: daily 10:00-5.00 Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

Enginuity, this new Interactive Design and Technology Centre encourages visitors to become apprentice engineers for the day. , Energy, Design, and Systems & Controls zones. Gadgets to experiment with, and highlights include pulling a real locomotive, controlling water to generate electricity and pitching yourself against the speed and accuracy of a robot.  Visitors can be part of a team to operate the Crazy Boiler.  Special events. Open, daily 10:00-17:00  Tel: 01952 884391 to check details.

Maws Craft Centre, Jackfield, near Ironbrige, on the site of the Maws and Co. factory which produced decorative tiles and in the 19th century was considered to be the largest manufacturer in the world. The Maws Craft Centre has 20 workshops producing a range of products including pottery, puzzles, furniture and pictures.  Cafe, gift shop and a gallery selling a range of crafts made at the centre and elsewhere. Open daily. Tel: 01952 883030  Free admission.

Buildwas Abbey, A4169, 2 miles west of Ironbridge, this ruined abbey lies on the south bank of the River Severn.One of the oldest Circercian monasteries in England, the Abbey was founded in 1135 by Roger de Clinton, Crusader Bishop of Chester. In 1536 it was disolved by Henry VIII.  The partly demolished buildings were granted to Edward Grey, Lord Powis, and the Abbot's residence was converted to form part of a country house. By the 19th century this was reduced to no more than a farmhouse.  Although roofless, the abbey buildings have survived and are well-preserved. The site is dwarfed by the cooling towers of a power station. Open: 24th Mar-May & Sept: Mon & Thu-Sun 10.00-17:00 ; Jun-Aug: Mon-Sun 10.00-18:00 Tel: 01952 433274 

Where To Stay in Ironbridge

Around The Ironbridge Area