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Soaking Up History in Ironbridge, ShropshireExplore 10 museums in a World Heritage SiteBy Marie Powell
As full as our days were in Shropshire, the joy of country walks through the town of Ironbridge and the friendly people we met there will hold a special place in our memories for years to come. And if that wasn’t enough: our museum daypass will allow us to come back someday in the future, and visit everything we missed the first time. Try these contact numbers and websites for more information: Martha’s Cottage For hours, days of operation, and activities at museums,
call 01952 884 391 or check:
www.ironbridge.org.uk. Local fare to sample: Souvenir shopping: Arriva bus service:
www.arrivabus.co.uk or 0870 608 2 608 All taken by Marie Powell (Mendenhall) |
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Located on the Gorge of the beautiful Severn River,
Ironbridge offers the chance to soak up the scenic Shropshire countryside along
with a healthy dose of British history. A World Heritage Site with 10 museums, a
variety of country walks, and small shops galore, Ironbridge is a delight for
family travel in the English borderlands.
One of the best decisions we made was to rent Martha’s
Cottage, a restored two-storey on the south slopes of the Ironbridge Gorge. The
barn-door was a special treat. The museums are all within a two-mile radius of
the cottage. It was built in 1740, although no one remembers the original
Martha, say new owners Tracey and John Russell, who completely renovated it in
2005.
The cottage boasts an oak-beam living and dining room, a
gas fireplace, and a modern kitchen with all the conveniences, including a
microwave, washer and dryer, and all utensils and cooking implements. We enjoyed
the freedom to prepare our own meals and snacks (doubly important when dragging
teen-aged grazers through the English borderlands). Gas and electric are
included, as are bed linens and towels (so important for international travel).
The Russells have thought of all the delightful homey touches, such as floral
accents and bowls of potpourri. In the two elegantly decorated bedrooms, thick
down-filled comforters keep you feeling warm and snuggly.
And
what cottage experience would be complete without an English country garden? A
lovely benched area beckons just across the lane from the front door. Farther
down the hill are wildflowers, a small summer house, and even a frog pond that
was a big hit with my 11-year-old.
We also appreciated the chance to get off the narrow roads,
leave the car in our own parking space, and explore on foot. A maze of public
pathways leads up through quiet residential areas, or down to the souvenir
shops, restaurants, and pubs. Shoppers have a few unique local options too, such
as an antique store, specialty shops like the Merrythought Teddy Bear Shop, and
even the town Post Office where you can purchase hand-made cards for all
occasions made by the postmaster’s wife.
A walk around the town becomes a lesson in history. The
Iron Bridge itself was built in 1779, for a cost of about £6,000. It took almost
two years to build, and about five more to plan. Each rib of the bridge weighed
six tones. The entire bridge was cast at the Coalbrookdale ironworks, and
weighed in at 384 tonnes (378 tons). It has been renovated a few times since
then, and was closed to vehicles in 1934. Today it provides a gorgeous country
setting for a walk, whether your destination is the tourist information centre
and museum at its farthest end, or the walkways underneath it on both sides of
the Gorge.
We managed five museums during our short stay, and each one
took a couple of hours to really explore. Two are located off the main street:
the bridge Tollhouse, and the Museum of the Gorge a few short blocks away. The
Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron explains how it all began. At the Enginuity museum,
we spent hours playing with science and technology.
A family favorite was the restored Victorian town of Blists
Hill. We toured the village shops, learned to use authentic-looking Victorian
currency purchased from Lloyds bank, won prizes at the on-site carnival, and
watched the working Trevithick Locomotive.
And
of course, we bought bags of authentic old-fashioned candy from the Sweet Shop
that lasted most of our stay in England. We can also highly recommend the area
specialty, clotted cream, found in fudge, cakes and anything else.
From the Gorge Museum you can hop on board the Arriva buses
and travel to various locations around Shropshire, whether for sightseeing or
shopping trips to Telford or Shrewsbury. The Roman Ruins at Wroxeter provided
our first sightseeing tour. We were fascinated by the nooks and crannies of the
bathhouse that once existed on the spot. With the self-guided audio tour, it was
easy to imagine the sights and sounds of the area circa 44 BC!
The medieval town of Shrewsbury, with its famous
black-and-white architecture, is another easy day-trip. A walk down Shrewsbury’s
main street offers shopper’s delight, from mall clothing stores to discount
groceries and souvenir shops. Shrewsbury Castle boasts an amazing view, along
with the Shropshire Regimental Museum. This is also a prime location for
genealogical research, and the Archives are conveniently located across from the
bus station.
