South Telford Heritage Trail
Encyclopedia
The South Telford Heritage Trail is a circular, waymarked walking route that passes by forty-nine heritage sites in the English town of Telford
.
and passes through the parishes of Stirchley & Brookside, Madeley
, Dawley Hamlets
and the Ironbridge Gorge
.
The route follows the remains of a network of canals, tramways, railways, coal-mines, brickworks, potteries and ironworks that once flourished in the area.
was established as a new town
in 1968. Within its boundaries it incorporated many old settlements and communities, some dating back to the Domesday Book
. During the 18th and 19th centuries the area was noted for its coal mines, iron works, china factories and brickworks.
By the beginning of the 20th century much of this industry had declined and by the 1960s, what remained was a legacy of uncapped mineshafts, derelict buildings, abandoned quarries, spoil heaps and pit mounds. The development of Telford
and thoughtful landscaping has removed or hidden many of these scars. However, throughout the area of South Telford there remains a wealth of heritage sites. These include the canals, railways, mines, ironworks, houses and fine buildings associated with the area's industrial past. Many of these heritage sites are easily missed by the casual walker and their contributions to the rich history of the area are less well known.
These sites also act as trail waypoints.
and Stirchley & Brookside Parish Council.
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
.
Total Distance
The approximate distance of the trail is 12.2 miles (19.6 kilometres). The trail can be walked in its entirety in 5–6 hours or tackled in smaller sections.The route
The trail begins and ends in Telford Town ParkTelford Town Park
- Parks for People :The Parks for People funding programme is a joint initiative between the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund,offering grants for projects that regenerate public parks of national, regional or local heritage value. Telford & Wrekin Council were recently advised of their...
and passes through the parishes of Stirchley & Brookside, Madeley
Madeley, Shropshire
Madeley is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, now part of the new town of Telford. The parish had a population of 17,935 at the 2001 census.Madeley is recorded in the Domesday Book, having been founded before the 8th century...
, Dawley Hamlets
Dawley Hamlets
Dawley Hamlets is a civil parish in Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire.The parish covers Horsehay, Doseley, Little Dawley and Aqueduct....
and the Ironbridge Gorge
Ironbridge Gorge
The Ironbridge Gorge is a deep gorge formed by the River Severn in Shropshire, England.Originally called the Severn Gorge, the gorge now takes its name from its famous Iron Bridge, the first iron bridge of its kind in the world, and a monument to the industry that began there...
.
The route follows the remains of a network of canals, tramways, railways, coal-mines, brickworks, potteries and ironworks that once flourished in the area.
Background History
TelfordTelford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
was established as a new town
New town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
in 1968. Within its boundaries it incorporated many old settlements and communities, some dating back to the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. During the 18th and 19th centuries the area was noted for its coal mines, iron works, china factories and brickworks.
By the beginning of the 20th century much of this industry had declined and by the 1960s, what remained was a legacy of uncapped mineshafts, derelict buildings, abandoned quarries, spoil heaps and pit mounds. The development of Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
and thoughtful landscaping has removed or hidden many of these scars. However, throughout the area of South Telford there remains a wealth of heritage sites. These include the canals, railways, mines, ironworks, houses and fine buildings associated with the area's industrial past. Many of these heritage sites are easily missed by the casual walker and their contributions to the rich history of the area are less well known.
Aims of the Trail
The aim of the South Telford Heritage Trail is to bring attention the area's history by offering a self-guided walking route that links known and lesser known heritage sites within South Telford and to provide information about each site.The Heritage Sites
The forty-nine heritage sites that the trail passes are as follows:| No. | Heritage Site |
|---|---|
| 1. | Malinslee Chapel |
| 2. | Randlay Pool |
| 3. | Blue Pool |
| 4. | Stirchley Chimney |
| 5. | Stirchley Grange Colliery |
| 6. | Northwood Terrace |
| 7. | Rose and Crown Public House |
| 8. | Stirchley Village School |
| 9. | St James' Church, Stirchley St James' Church, Stirchley St James' Church, Stirchley, is a redundant Anglican church in Stirchley, Shropshire, England . Stirchley was formerly a separate village but is now part of the new town of Telford. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the... |
| 10. | Stirchley Hall |
| 11. | Route of the London North Western Railway Branch Line to Coalport Coalport Coalport is a village in Shropshire, now part of the new town of Telford. It is located on the River Severn at , a mile downstream of Ironbridge... |
| 12. | The Aqueduct |
| 13. | St Paul's Church, Aqueduct |
| 14. | Foster's Row & Britannia Inn |
| 15. | Madeley Salop Railway Station |
| 16. | Madeley Windmill |
| 17. | Madeley Court |
| 18. | Madeley Madeley -People:* Anna Madeley , actress* Chloe Madeley , television presenter* Darrin Madeley , ice hockey player* Keith Madeley, businessman* Paul Madeley , footballer* Richard Madeley , television presenter... High Street |
| 19. | Jubilee House, Madeley |
| 20. | St Michael's Church, Madeley |
| 21. | All Nations Public House |
| 22. | Lee Dingle Bridge |
| 23. | Blists Hill Tunnel |
| 24. | Hay Inclined Plane Hay Inclined Plane The Hay Inclined Plane is a canal inclined plane in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, with a height of 207 feet . It was located on a short stretch of the Shropshire Canal that linked the industrial area of Blists Hill with the River Severn. The inclined plane was in operation from 1792 to 1894... , Blists Hill |
| 25. | Jackfield and Coalport Memorial Footbridge |
| 26. | Maws Tile Works |
| 27. | Craven Dunnill Craven Dunnill Craven Dunnill & Co. Ltd. was formed on 9 February 1872, by Yorkshire businessman Henry Powell Dunnill , at Jackfield, Shropshire, England... Encaustic Tile Works |
| 28. | Jackfield Sidings & Severn Valley Railway |
| 29. | Station Hotel & Ironbridge and Broseley Railway Station Ironbridge and Broseley railway station Iron Bridge and Broseley railway station was a railway station with two through platforms on the Severn Valley Railway Line in Shropshire, England.... |
| 30. | The Iron Bridge The Iron Bridge The Iron Bridge crosses the River Severn at the Ironbridge Gorge, by the village of Ironbridge, in Shropshire, England. It was the first arch bridge in the world to be made out of cast iron, a material which was previously far too expensive to use for large structures... |
| 31. | The Wharfage, Ironbridge |
| 32. | Coalbrookdale Railway Station Coalbrookdale railway station Coalbrookdale railway station is a disused station at Coalbrookdale in Shropshire, England. The station survives situated on the freight-only line between Buildwas Junction and Lightmoor Junction... |
| 33. | View of Coalbrookdale Coalbrookdale Coalbrookdale is a village in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, England, containing a settlement of great significance in the history of iron ore smelting. This is where iron ore was first smelted by Abraham Darby using easily mined "coking coal". The coal was drawn from drift mines in the sides... |
| 34. | Quaker Burial Ground, Coalbrookdale |
| 35. | Darby Houses & Tea Kettle Row, Coalbrookdale |
| 36. | Great Western Railway Viaduct, Coalbrookdale |
| 37. | Jiggers Bank & Toll House |
| 38. | New Pool |
| 39. | Rough Park Way |
| 40. | Lightmoor Crossing |
| 41. | Tub Boat Bridge |
| 42. | Shropshire Canal Shropshire Canal The Shropshire Canal was a tub boat canal built to supply coal, ore and limestone to the industrial region of east Shropshire, England, that adjoined the River Severn at Coalbrookdale... |
| 43. | Castle Pools |
| 44. | Dawley Castle Site |
| 45. | Stirchley Wesleyan Chapel |
| 46. | Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station |
| 47. | Shropshire Canal Shropshire Canal The Shropshire Canal was a tub boat canal built to supply coal, ore and limestone to the industrial region of east Shropshire, England, that adjoined the River Severn at Coalbrookdale... |
| 48. | Ironworks Forge |
| 49. | Stone Row |
These sites also act as trail waypoints.
Funding
The trail was funded by grants from the Heritage Lottery FundHeritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
and Stirchley & Brookside Parish Council.