Ironbridge Gorge
Ironbridge Gorge is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The town of Ironbridge sits within this beautiful part of Shropshire along the
banks of the River Severn about 30 minutes from Shrewsbury by road.
The ‘Iron Bridge’ across the river at Ironbridge was the first to be built entirely
out of cast iron. It was built by Abraham Darby III in 1779.
This area of Shropshire rightly describes itself as the ‘Birthplace of Industry’.
Neighbouring Coalbrookdale has had ironworks since around the beginning of
the seventeenth century.
In 1709, in Coalbrookdale, Abraham Darby I was one of the very first to
successfully establish a blast furnace fired using coke. There is still a foundry
on the same site but now making stoves for Aga-Rayburn.
The area boasts no less than ten museums in addition to the bridge itself.
IYPT 2014 is very grateful to Anna Brennand, Chief Executive of Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust
for kindly providing tickets to the Ironbridge Gorge Museums for all of those taking part in the
tournament.
Shrewsbury
The town centre of Shrewsbury lies just ten minutes walk from the school
campus.
Shrewsbury lies on the River Severn and is really a very pleasant town to
both live in and to visit. It has many shops, bars and and restaurants and
places of historic interest.
There will be organised tours conducted by official town guides as well as the
opportunity to enjoy the town at your leisure.
The town will soon be opening its fantastic new Museum and Art Gallery on
the site of the Old Music Hall that was made redundant by the building of the
Theatre Severn in 2008.
Excursions
The Royal Air Force has two museums in the UK; one in
London and one just half an hour away from Shrewsbury.
The museum is modern and spacious and contains a huge number of aeroplanes and aeronautical memorabilia. It also houses the
award winning National Cold War Museum. It is very much worth a visit.
We will provide coach trips to the museum on the afternoons of Sunday 6th and Monday 7th July. Take a camera; you can take as many
photographs as you like!
Royal Air Force Museum
