1 January 1781 - The World's First Iron Bridge Opened.

In 1776 a proposal to construct a wholly metal bridge across the Severn Gorge between the Shropshire villages of Benthall and Madeley was put before Parliament. The necessary Act was passed with the the work for the design going to Thomas Pritchard and the actual casting and construction to Abraham Darby of the Coalbrookdale Ironworks, Shropshire.

Work began in 1777 and although the river was spanned as early as July 1779 the bridge was not formally opened to traffic until New Year's Day 1781. It is 100 ft long weighing 378 tons.

Such was the fame of the construction that the town that grew up around the two villages was renamed Ironbridge. Closed to road traffic in 1934 it remains in use for pedestrians.