IRONBRIDGE GORGE

The 'Ironbridge Gorge' is a deep gorge formed by the river Severn in Shropshire, England.
Originally called the 'Severn Gorge', the gorge now takes its name from its famous Iron Bridge, the first iron bridge of its kind in the world, and a monument to the industry that began there. The bridge was built in 1779 to link the industrial town of Broseley with the smaller mining town of Madeley and the growing industrial centre of Coalbrookdale.
It is a beautiful and scenic place which also has great historical importance: it is said to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. This began in Coalbrookdale with Abraham Darby's invention of a process for producing high quality iron with the help of coke. Other nearby places, such as Broseley, Coalport and Jackfield, grew to make the area an industrial centre.
The gorge carries the River Severn south towards the Bristol Channel. It was formed during the last ice age when the output from the previously north flowing river became trapped in a lake (Lake Lapworth) created when the Irish Sea ice sheet dammed the river. The level of the lake rose until it was able to flow over the hills to the south. This flow eroded a path through the hills forming the gorge and permanently diverting the Severn southwards.
There are two reasons the site was so useful to the early industrialists. The raw materials, coal, iron ore, limestone and clay, for the manufacture of iron, tiles and porcelain are exposed or easily mined in the gorge. The deep and wide river allowed easy transport of products to the sea.

Contents

The Gorge parish

See also

External links

The Gorge parish

'The Gorge' is a parish of Telford and Wrekin borough. It covers the part of Ironbridge Gorge that falls within the Telford and Wrekin area, which is most of it, and includes settlements such as Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale and Coalport (but not Buildwas or Broseley).

See also

★ Ironbridge Gorge Museums

★ Geology of Shropshire

★ Ironbridge Power Station

External links

★ Ironbridge Gorge.com

★ Ironbridge Gorge Tourism website

★ Photo of the Gorge from the air

★ The Ironbridge Gorge by Virtual Shropshire

★ World Heritage Site information from UNESCO

★ Map of UNESCO World Heritage Site

★ Ironbridge Archaeology