Key Industrial Revolution site reopened

A Grade I listed furnace in the area considered the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution has reopened, after conservation work.

The Old Furnace in Coalbrookdale in the Ironbridge Gorge is recorded as the place where Abraham Darby I perfected iron smelting with coke, in 1709.

A "tent cover" structure was restored to protect it from erosion by the weather after work began last year, the National Trust said.

The charity, which acquired Ironbridge Gorge's museums and listed buildings earlier this year, explained that protection of the furnace area was part of a programme identified in an assessment in 2021.

A spokesperson said the programme of maintenance and repair work was identified as part of the review, to understand the condition of some of the 35 most important heritage assets at the site.

The trust's spokesperson said The Old Furnace was "of particular historical importance" as it was considered one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution.

Buried over the years, the site was uncovered in the 1950s and inspired the founding of the industrial museum, they added.

Shielding it would help keep conditions around the furnace stable and "dramatically reduce stress from years of being exposed to fluctuating temperatures", project manager Lucy Oldnall stated.

Landscaping work around the space would continue for a little longer with grass and gravel paths relayed, the trust said.

The furnace was thought to have been built in 1638.

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