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Coalbrookdale is the historical heart of the Gorge and was at the forefront of revolutionary developments in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The original blast furnace, where iron ore was successfully smelted with coke in 1709, stands next to the Museum of Iron. Housing a model of the Gorge in 1805 alongside decorative cast iron work from the 1851 Great Exhibition, the museum documents the growth of the iron industry. Through the documents and objects on display both here and at Rosehill House the issues of religion, exclusion, paternalism, self-help and exploitation can be addressed.
The industrial landscape at Blists Hill Victorian Town includes the remains of three blast furnaces, a stretch of canal and the Foundry, where iron is normally cast every Wednesday.
Coalport China Museum explores the ideas of the division of labour, mass production and the effects these had on the workers. Contrast the quality of the products with health hazards to those who produced them. It is also an ideal place to study the commercial possibilities of quality art and design.
In the Tar Tunnel are the remains of a Bitumen spring, a natural resource, discovered during mining excavations in the early 18th century.
At Jackfield Tile Museum are some of the best floor and wall tiles produced during the Victorian era. The museum is housed in a purpose built factory, opened in 1874.
The Museum of the Gorge provides an insight into Victorian ideas on Public Health. The late 18th Century model shows the Gorge as a hive of industrial activity.
Enginuity in Coalbrookdale is the obvious choice when encouraging students to investigate and evaluate everyday items.
The Materials and Power zones can help students debate the complex issues of sustainability and recycling.
Being a World Heritage Site with the largest Independent Museum in the Country, the Gorge attracts visitors from all over the world affording an opportunity to study the effects of mass tourism on a local economy, community and infrastructure.
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