Ironbridge, England
Crossing the River Severn, the Iron Bridge was erected in 1779. The bridge was the first to be built from a new material, iron. The bridge crosses the River Severn. Not only was the bridge the first made of iron, but it was also one of the first freestanding iron structures anywhere in the world.
The construction of the Iron Bridge is considered one of the most visible milestones during the birth of the Industrial Revolution. The Iron Bridge was built in the River Severn Gorge, as everything needed to build the bridge, iron ore, coal, fire clay, limestone, and continual running water, were all present nearby.
The Iron Bridge was constructed with far more iron than was needed, as plans used the same number of trusses as a similar-sized wooden bridge. Because iron was such a new building material, the builders erred on the side of caution. The bridge later demonstrated the potential of iron construction when a flood of the River Severn in 1795 swept away every bridge in the area except the Iron Bridge. The open trusses allowed for debris and water to move through, saving the structure from the damage that occurred to other bridges.
One of the most fascinating facts about the bridge is that it is still used to cross the River Severn. Vehicular travel has been banned since 1934, and tolls have been eliminated since 1950. The ancient toll house serves as a museum for the bridge. People can walk across the bridge during daylight hours, but there are no lights in the evening.
As for the bridge’s lasting impact, the Iron Bridge, the town of Iron Bridge, and the surrounding gorge are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Iron Bridge became a model for many future cast-iron structures. Today, the bridge is maintained by English Heritage and was restored by the same group in 2017-2018. The bridge was restored to its current red color, as it was determined to be the historic color.
The village of Iron Bridge is quite charming, with a great place for a sausage roll, an expensive but cool toy store, a memorable World War I monument, and other places in town. Overall, Ironbridge is a great place to stop when driving across England.
