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Bedlam Furnaces

Ironbridge, Shropshire

Location Guide

"A part of the World Heritage Site Ironbridge Gorge"

The Bedlam Furnaces are the remains of some iron furnaces found in Bedlam between Ironbridge and Coalport. They are located on the north side of the River Severn on the left hand side of the road as you leave Ironbridge just before you go over the new bridge.

They were built in the 1750's and are thought to represent the earliest survivors of a 'new generation' of blast furnaces built specifically to use coke as a fuel. By the early 19th century, having been superseded by more advanced steam powered furnaces which could smelt even larger quantities of iron they went out of use.

They were powered by a water-wheel which used water pumped from the river to power the bellows which gave the blast of air. There were two furnaces and an engine room originally.

Castings were made in this area between the furnace and the river, and where they are located would have been an ideal spot for transporting products to market.

It is likely that these Furnaces were used to make components of the Iron Bridge.

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See Larger Image

 

The Annual Passport. The Ironbridge Museums operate an Annual Ticket and Passport where for one price you can get access to all 10 of their sites with unlimited day time access during normal opening hours, so you can return as often as you like for a whole year. If after 12 months you have still not visited particular sites, you can return at any time in the future to make one free visit to the sites that you've missed. These tickets are sold at all the museums and the visitor information centre in Ironbridge itself or you can buy them in advance by phone. The 2009 prices for the Passport tickets are:

Adult £19.95;  60+ £15.95; Child £12.95 or a family ticket for 2A up to 3C £54.95.


Location: Bedlam Furnaces, Ironbridge, Shropshire

Grid Reference: SJ678033 Ceremonial County: Shropshire

Map Link:  Multimap

Aerial photo: Multimap    Multimap birds eye

Getting there: From the centre of Ironbridge take the B4373 towards Bridgnorth and they are on the lefthand side of the road just before the New bridge.

Access: There is a free car park area in front of them and steps leading from here up to a path which takes you across the top to more steps to bring you down the other side.
Website: Bedlam Furnaces at Ironbridge
Other Useful Websites:
Email:
Address:
Postcode: Telephone:
Opening Times: All year

Charges: FREE

Other Location Pages:

Blists Hill Victorian Town

Broseley Pipeworks

Coalport China Museum

Darby Houses

Enginuity

Hay Inclined Plane    Hay Inclined Plane Gallery

Jackfield Tile Museum  

Iron Bridge and Toll House

Museum of the Gorge Ironbridge

Museum of Iron

Tar Tunnel

Other Relevant Pages:

Living History Section

List of Living History Museums

Living history museums introduction

World Heritage Sites     

World Heritage Sites - Further Information

World Heritage Sites in the UK

Industrial Heritage

Anchor Points and The European Route of Industrial Heritage  

The Industrial Revolutions

Technological Developments in the Industrial Revolution

Transport in the Industrial Revolution 

Further Information on Industrial Heritage 

European Route of Industrial Heritage - UK Sites   

Notes:

 

Please let us know any other information that we can add to the Grid(s) or page and any errors that you discover. Before making a long trip to any location it is always wise to double check the current information, websites like magazines may be correct at the time the information is written, but things change and it is of course impossible to double check all entries on a regular basis. If you have any good photographs that you feel would improve the illustration of this page then please let us have copies. In referring to this page it is helpful if you quote both the Page Ref and Topic or Section references from the Grid below. To print the planning grid select it then right click and print the selected area.

Please submit information on locations you discover so that this system continues to grow.

 


By: Tracey Park Section: Heritage Section Key:
Page Ref: Bedlam_Furnaces Topic:  Industrial Last Updated: 08/2009

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