The Iron Bridge that gives the town its name is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of the Industrial Revolution that was born here in 1709. Abraham Darby's breakthrough in smelting iron using coke rather than charcoal transformed manufacturing and set Britain on the path to industrial supremacy. Today, ten museums tell this story across the dramatic Severn Gorge, from Victorian tile works to the recreated Victorian town of Blists Hill. The spectacular bridge itself, cast in 1779, remains a stunning feat of engineering and design.