Shropshire Iron Bridge

Illustration

Mark Cartwright
by John Clift
published on 31 January 2023
Shropshire Iron Bridge Download Full Size Image

The world's first cast iron bridge, built across the River Severn in Shropshire, England by Abraham Darby III (1750-89). It was completed in 1779 and opened to the public on New Year's Day, 1781. The design had to be a single-span arch to allow shipping to pass underneath. The bridge used some 385 tons of iron. The project showed that iron could be used for such large projects and many more followed during the Industrial Revolution. The bridge is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

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Cite This Work

APA Style

Clift, J. (2023, January 31). Shropshire Iron Bridge. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16972/shropshire-iron-bridge/

Chicago Style

Clift, John. "Shropshire Iron Bridge." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified January 31, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16972/shropshire-iron-bridge/.

MLA Style

Clift, John. "Shropshire Iron Bridge." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 31 Jan 2023. Web. 12 Oct 2024.

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