Destination guides > Europe > England > Heart of England > Shropshire > Ironbridge Gorge
Ironbridge Gorge
This picturesque valley south of Telford is famed as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Although originally a hive of activity with factories and belching smokestacks, it is now a quiet place with many interesting museums dedicated to the various items that were produced in the gorge.
There is no real town centre and Ironbridge Gorge is more a string of small villages clustered in the valley between Coalbrookdale and Coalport. These include Coalbrookdale where you'll find the Enginuity science museum, the Museum of Iron and the Coalbrookdale YHA (groups only); Ironbridge with the Museum of the Gorge and the famous Iron Bridge; Jackfield and the Jackfield Tile Museum; Madeley and Blists Hill Victorian Village and Coalport, which is home to the China Museum, Tar Tunnel and the Coalport YHA.
Practical information
Ironbridge Tourist Information Centre
The Wharfage, Ironbridge
Tel (01952) 884391
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
Coming & going
Ironbridge is 8km south of Telford and it is a relatively difficult place to get to without a car. The easiest way to get here is to take a train from Birmingham or Shrewsbury to Telford Central and then take a connecting bus to the gorge.
Telford Travelink (tel (01952) 200 005) can give you up-to-date information about bus services between Telford and Ironbridge.
Local transport
On weekends there is a shuttle bus (tel (01952) 200 005) that runs between the Ironbridge museums.
Hostel accommodation
Coalport YHA
John Rose Building, High Street, Coalport, Ironbridge
Bus 895/9
Tel (01952) 588 755
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
If you plan on visiting several of the museums your best bet is the passport ticket, which costs £19.95 and allows admission to all the museums in Ironbridge Gorge.
Blists Hill Victorian Town
This open-air museum features restored cottages, factories and shops depicting life during Victorian times.
Madeley
Tel (01952) 583 003
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £13.25
Open 10am-5pm daily
Clay Tobacco Pipe Museum
The Broseley Pipeworks closed its doors in 1957 and has now been reopened as museum showcasing 350 years of pipemaking.
Church Street, Broseley
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £4.15
Open Apr-Oct 1pm-5pm daily
Coalport China Museum
Located next to the Coalport YHA hostel, this former china factory shows how fine bone china was produced and features exhibitions about tableware and changes in dining etiquette.
High Street, Coalport
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £6.75
Open 10am-5pm daily
Enginuity
This science museum has interactive exhibits that illustrate the engineering and technology behind the machines that powered the Industrial Revolution.
Coalbrookdale
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £6.95
Open 10am-5pm daily
Iron Bridge & Tollhouse
Ironbridge's namesake is the world's first iron bridge that was cast in 1779 by Abraham Darby III and is still considered a great engineering feat.
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Open 10am-5pm daily
Jackfield Tile Museum
This former tile factory shows how decorative tiles were produced in the 1870 and 1880s.
Jackfield
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £6.75
Open 10am-5pm daily
Museum of the Gorge
This museum in a former warehouse houses a scale model of how the gorge appeared in 1796 and it is a good starting point for exploring Ironbridge Gorge.
Ironbridge
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £3.25
Open 10am-5pm daily
Museum of Iron
The pioneering Darby family operated a furnace at Coalbrookdale that produced iron that was used by railways and the world's first iron bridge. The adjoining museum features exhibits on the history of iron with displays showing how iron was produced.
Coalbrookdale
Website www.ironbridge.org.uk
Admission £6.75; including Darby Houses £7.75
Open 10am-5pm daily
