Telford is a large New Town named after the civil engineer Thomas Telford who worked on many local road and canal projects. Telford Central station is often simply called 'Telford'.
Telford Bus Station is ½ mile from Telford Central Rail Station via the footbridges and shopping centre, or use bus 4 (see below), 5 minutes journey to Bus Station. A Telford PlusBus ticket covers travel around Telford including buses to Madeley, Ironbridge Gorge and Broseley.
The Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site is where the Industrial Revolution started 300 years ago.
In 1709 Abraham Darby discovered the secret of smelting iron with coke instead of expensive charcoal and with the
raw materials present in the Gorge it became Britain's first iron-making centre. The Gorge takes its name
from the world's first iron bridge built here in 1779 and now cared for by EH.
The map below shows distances between attractions and recommended walking routes are highlighted.
The attractions are managed by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust with joint tickets available.
www.ironbridge.org.uk |
www.english-heritage.org.uk
TI Iron Bridge Tollhouse, tel. 01952 433424.
Bus 4 from Rail Station forecourt to Madeley Central (High Street), 34 minutes journey,
M-S every 12 minutes, Sun every 30 minutes. ½ mile walk to Blists Hill Victorian Town.
Bus 8/8A from Bus Station to Ironbridge Museum of the Gorge Car Park, 22 minutes journey,
M-S only, about hourly combined frequency. 8/18 continue to Jackfield (28 minutes) and Broseley (39 minutes).
Bus 96/96A from Bus Station to Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge Museum of the Gorge Car Park, 30 minutes journey,
M-S only, 2-hourly, also from Shrewsbury.
Buses 4/8/8A are operated by Arriva.
Bus 96/96A is operated by Select.
The gothic style warehouse beside the River Severn contains a museum telling the story of Ironbridge Gorge.
Displays include a large model of the Gorge and there are great views of the nearby Iron Bridge.
Open Daily 1000-1700 (1600 Nov-Mar).
The world's first cast-iron bridge built in 1779 and an iconic symbol of the Industrial Revolution,
it has been a tourist attraction since Georgian times. The original Tollhouse contains a small museum and tourist information.
Admission free.
Open Tollhouse Daily 1000-1700 (1600 Nov-Mar), Bridge at all times.
The Museum shows how iron from Coalbrookdale played a major part in the Industrial Revolution.
Features include Abraham Darby's original Old Furnace. Restaurant.
Open Apr-Sep, Daily 1000-1700. Oct-Mar, WThFSSu 1000-1600.
Interactive exhibits with an industrial theme.
Open Apr-Sep, Daily 1000-1700. Oct-Mar, WThFSSu 1000-1600.
Two former houses of the Darby family built in 1717 and 1738 overlooking Coalbrookdale.
They show what life was like for the early industrialists. Dress up in period costumes.
Open Apr-Sep, see website.
Blists Hill is a recreated Victorian Town with shops, houses, school, church and trade workshops.
Industrial features include a saw mill, blast furnace and mine shaft. Victorian Fairground (seasonal). Costumed staff add
to the Victorian atmosphere. A path leads to the top of an inclined plane used to raise barges.
Refreshments at several locations.
Open Apr-Sep, Daily 1000-1700. Oct-Mar, WThFSSu 1000-1600.
Tar seeps through brickwork of this bitumen spring accidentally struck by 18th century miners.
Open Apr-Sep, see website.
Coalport China was made here from 1795 and the museum has many examples on display.
Visitors can step inside bottle kilns where the china was fired. Workshops demonstrating traditional techniques.
Open Apr-Sep, Daily 1000-1700. Oct-Mar, WThFSSu 1000-1600.
A long brick building where decorative tiles were made, many examples are displayed in the galleries.
A recreated pub, tube station, washroom and chapel show how the tiles were used.
Open Apr-Sep, Daily 1000-1700. Oct-Mar, WThFSSu 1000-1600.
A clay tobacco pipe factory left as it was when closed in 1957.
Open Apr-Sep, see website.
This fine stone house of 1535 has a carved oak staircase and decorated plaster ceilings. It is still the home of the Benthall family.
Restored plantsman's garden, old kitchen garden and a Restoration church. Tearoom.
Open Mar-Oct, MTWSSu BH 1230-1730.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/benthall-hall
Bus 8/8A from Bus Station (½ mile from Rail Station) to Ironbridge (22 minutes journey)
or Broseley (39 minutes), then 1¼ miles walk. M-S only, about hourly combined frequency.
Bus 18 passes within ¾ mile of Benthall Hall but the service is infrequent.
Operated by Arriva.
This journey is covered by a Telford PlusBus ticket.
The impressive ruins of a Cistercian abbey including its 12th century church and vaulted chapter house with a tiled floor.
Admission free.
Open Daily 1000-1700 (1600 Nov-Mar).
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Bus 96/96A from Bus Station (½ mile from Rail Station) to opposite Bridge Farm (no marked stop),
shortly after Ironbridge, 35 minutes journey. M-S only, 2-hourly.
Operated by Select.
To reach the Abbey cross the River Severn and walk ¼ mile along the road.
Buses also operate from Shrewsbury and the Abbey is 1¾ miles from
Ironbridge Museum of the Gorge by walking along the Severn Way.
