Ironbridge in April 2022

Wednesday 27th April 2022

Rather than drive we walked from the townhouse down Buildwas Road until we reached Station Road. There we turned and started our walk to Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron. It was a very pleasant uphill walk with woods to our left and the gorge to our right.

We used our passes to go into the museum where we explored all the floors. The exhibits ranged from beautiful cast statues to large bowls that were used by whalers (or sealers) to reduce the fat off their kills.

This exhibit told the history of William Ball (aka John Bull) who had worked here before touring the country demonstrating his incredible strength.

We stopped for a coffee in The Furnace Cafe for a coffee and I broke my diet and ordered a smokey bacon roll.

After our break we walked the grounds of the museum and went to have a look at the first furnaces in the world that made Coalbrookdale world famous.

To the left of the glass building over the furnace was another that had very little remaining. It was close to the railway arch that was built later around it!

The original one was better preserved inside a glass sided building.

Inside we all climbed up to explore the top of the furnace as well as walking around to try and imagine what it must have been like in operation.

Enginuity

Before leaving the site we went to have a look inside Enginuity. There were school parties inside This Ironbridge museum was definitely not aimed at folks as old us. However, once inside we were fascinated by the exhibits!

We left the site and walked back down to Ironbridge

Afternoon Wednesday 27th April 2022

After lunch we set off to explore the pottery and tile museums.

Inside one of the kilns.

Bedlam Furnaces

On the way back to the townhouse we stopped in the lay-by next to the Bedlam Furnaces. The painting on the information board gave us an idea what the place would have been like in the night with the furnaces going. I walked up and and around the top of the remains of the furnaces.