A tale of two bridges: the Iron Bridge and Coalport Bridge, Shropshire
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Abstract
The Iron Bridge (SAM Salop 106), built in 1779, and Coalport Bridge (SAM Salop 341) built in timber in 1780, rebuilt in 1800 and again, in iron, in 1818, span the River Severn in the World Heritage Site of the Ironbridge Gorge. They were surveyed from 1999 to 2001 and 2001 to 2004 respectively. The Iron Bridge proved to be a palimpsest of minor and major repairs. The Coalport Bridge survey highlighted the apparent lack of alterations to the ironwork of 1818, whilst supporting the documentary evidence for the three major phases of construction in the bridge’s history. Despite this, both structures retained some similar major component parts albeit comprising individual methods of construction. Evidence from both bridge surveys pointed to advances in the understanding of bridge construction from the eighteenth
to the nineteenth century.
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