As isolated as I felt walking Wroxeter that's how welcoming I found Ironbridge Gorge to be.                       

                             

                         Looking down the Gorge with the Iron Bridge only dimly visible.       

Ironbridge is considered one of the seminal locations of the Industrial Revolution; this importance can be seen in the name of the gorge itself.  Originally known as Severn Gorge - after the river that flows through it - the name was changed to honor the first iron bridge in the world which arches over it.   

Ironbridge Gorge and the surrounding area represent one of those confluences of people, resources and place which together change history.  In the early eighteenth century Andrew Darby pioneered the use of coke in the smelting of iron in nearby Coalbrookedale.  This revolutionary procedure combined with the enormous deposits of iron ore in the valley and the double threat of rail and water transportation to make the Irongorge region the very heart of the Industrial Revolution.

Although the importance of Ironbridge as a producer of steel has long since passed, the towns which at one time pulled together to produce iron now pull together to lure tourists.  There are ten museums in the immediate area of the bridge.  An annual pass to all ten is less than thirty dollars which goes beyond being a bargain.  Unfortunately, we were limited by time to seeing only one so we chose the museum that gave the best overall picture of the gorge:                                 

                                   

                                                The Museum of the Gorge from the rear -
                     it resides on the banks of the Severn River just down from the Iron Bridge.       

Passing through the obligatory gift shop, we discovered a small, small museum that told the story of the Ironbridge community in a low tech but interesting manner.  There was a short film along with several informative displays.  Not only did the exhibits enlighten visitors to the many positive impacts the Industrial Revolution had on the area, they also stressed the hardships of a life lived making iron and the negative environmental and health effects of the industry.  

After about three quarters of an hour in the museum we ventured out for the short walk up to the bridge itself.
                            

                                                       

                                                                            The Iron Bridge

Thomas Darby himself initiated the idea of a bridge made from iron and once it had been designed his company underwrote most of its cost.  Although made of iron, the bridge is constructed much as it would have been had it been made of wood.  It was begun in 1778 and opened for public use on January 1, 1781.  Two hundred five years later the Iron Bridge was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Walking up to the bridge filled me with that sense of the time in which it was built that was missing from the visit to Wroxeter.  Like all places - it can't be helped - the surrounding village has it share of chi chi, touristy touches but the overall feeling is of time if not stood still, at least revistable.  On the bridge itself - looking both upstream and down - it was easily apparent both how important the area would have been and how dazzling the accomplished bridge must have been in its time.
  
 

                                  up stream                                                                            down stream

We tarried for a few minutes in the exhibit area of the Toll House which is just on the other side of the bridge then sauntered back to the museum and our car in its parking lot.  Driving from the village we were confronted by the humorous juxtaposition of time past and time present found below -   


                                       

                                    

                                     Power plant on the River Severn just below the Iron Bridge.