The Iron Bridge - How was it Built?

Page 5 of 6

• 1. A construction mystery
• 2. Building begins
• 3. Arches and ribs
• 4. Deck bearers
• 5. Facts and figures
• 6. Find out more
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Facts and figures

There are 482 main castings, but with the deck facings and railings the number rises to 1,736. There were no injuries during the construction process, which took three months during the summer of 1779, although work on the approach roads continued for another two years. The Bridge was opened to traffic on 1st January 1781. Abraham Darby III promoted the Bridge by commissioning paintings and engravings, but he had lost a lot of money on the project, which had cost nearly double the estimate.

Movement in the south abutment was severe and it had to be demolished in 1802 and replaced by two timber side arches, which in turn were replaced in cast iron in 1821 and remain to this day. In 1934 the Bridge was closed to vehicles and scheduled as an ancient monument, but pedestrian tolls continued until 1950.

Universally recognised as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution, the Iron Bridge stands at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

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Published: 2002-01-01