Travel Guide Ironbridge

The Ironbridge Valley plunges into Britain's industrial past like no other place in the country. From the xviiith century, the Gorge begins to deliver its many natural resources such as coal, iron, clay and limestone, making Blists Hill a real precursor in terms of mining activities. The materials ripped from the earth are long transported through a canal connected to Bristol via the Severn, but moving from shore to shore poses little problem. The water level is sometimes too low to cross in good conditions and in 1779, the first iron bridge in history is produced by Abraham Darby III. England then lived the beginnings of its industrial revolution and the building became the symbol of the economic boom of the time. The labor force moves logically towards the current location of Ironbridge and in the 1790 s, red brick workers' houses are growing throughout the region.Today, the entire site is classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The former production and extraction sites have been upgraded and are now quality museums.