The Iron Bridge

The world's first iron bridge was erected over the River Severn in Shropshire in 1779. It spans the Ironbridge Gorge near Coalbrookdale. The structure opened to traffic on New Year's Day 1781.

Abraham Darby pioneered the smelting of iron using coke in 1709 (the type of coal, not the drink or the narcotic 😁) at the Coalbrookdale furnace. Local coal made the process cheap. Mass production of cast iron became practical. The area turned into a major industrial centre.

His grandson, Abraham Darby III, cast the ironwork for the bridge. Architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard first proposed an iron bridge in 1773. Construction began in 1777. Pritchard died that year. Darby III took charge.

The bridge contains around 378 tons of iron and has a single span of about 100 feet (30 metres). At the time this was a remarkable achievement. Workers cast around 1,700 individual parts. Many were made to fit individually. Joints followed carpentry methods, such as dovetails and mortise-and-tenon. The iron came from the Coalbrookdale works. Final cost reached about £6,000, double the first estimate. Darby carried much of the extra expense and died in debt in 1789.

The River Severn was very important to the industries in the area. Coal, iron and other materials were being moved along the river and there were several ferry crossings. The single arch of the new bridge allowed boats to continue using the river without having to pass around bridge supports. For generations, pedestrians and vehicles paid a toll to cross the structure. Even members of the Royal Family and military troops had to pay. Pedestrian tolls continued until 1950.

The bridge showed that cast iron could serve as a main structural material. It became a symbol of the Industrial Revolution. The surrounding Ironbridge Gorge gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 1986. The bridge itself is a Grade I listed structure and scheduled monument.

The gorge offers steep wooded sides and the river below. From a photographer's view the location rewards early starts. Shot with the Mavic Pro the silhouette gives the bridge form and shape without the distraction of colour. The choice of shooting at dawn minimises the distraction of people and makes the bridge more mysterious.

Whenever I am given a project to complete, I consider when a subject might be shot to best advantage. Night, bright sunshine, dawn or dusk will all create a different atmosphere. The absence of wind on the river makes strong reflections giving a pleasing balance to the image.

The bridge has survived floods, ground movement and more than two centuries of use. It was finally closed to vehicles in 1934 and has since undergone major conservation work. It remains one of the most recognisable reminders of the Industrial Revolution.