The Iron Bridge crosses the River Severn at the Ironbridge Gorge, by the village of Ironbridge, in Shropshire, England. It was the first arch bridge in the world to be made out of cast iron, a material which was previously far too expensive to use for large structures. However, a new blast furnace nearby lowered the cost and so encouraged local engineers and architects to solve a long-standing problem of a crossing over the river.
Carries pedestrian traffic
Crosses River Severn
Locale Ironbridge Gorge near Coalbrookdale
Design cast iron arch bridge
Total length 60 metres (200 ft)
Longest span 30.5 metres (100 ft)
Clearance below 18 metres (59 ft)
Construction begin 1775
Construction end 1779
Opened 1781-01-01
Iron Bridge was finally barred to vehicular traffic in 1934 when it was designated as an ancient monument, but tolls for pedestrians still were collected until 1950, when ownership of the bridge was transferred to Shropshire County Council. It now belongs to Telford and Wrekin Borough Council.
The bridge, the adjacent settlement and the natural gorge together form a popular tourist destination, and form part of the UNESCO Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. The Iron Bridge is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The bridge is a waypoint on the South Telford Heritage Trail.
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