Industrial Development at Ironbridge

Activity

Look at the outline below of Industrial Development at Ironbridge. Complete the missing spaces by using the words in the text box.

1500 to 1700 - Pre Abraham Darby

Local ..................: Local and small scale, originally using bell pits.

Ironstone from the Gorge: iron workings – mainly for agricultural tools.

Local limestone: mainly for A......................

Local wood: mainly as a fuel and agricultural tools.

Water from streams: simple water wheels.

Local river transport: river Severn

Local roads: very often tracks- poor road link to Watling  Street road.

1700 to 1800 – Start of the Industrial Revolution

Local coal: New innovations. Adit and drift mines into valley sides.

Local  wood as charcoal: New innovations- Iron  S................. furnaces.

Local .....................: Used in Coalbrookdale ironworks.   

Local  limestone: Now used in the iron making process.

Water from streams: Used to power large steam hammers.

Local clays used to make tiles at the Jackfield site.

Transported pure china clay: Brought in by .......... from Cornwall to Coalport china works.

The River Severn: Increased river transport using shallow bottom boats (Trows).

Roads: Improved. ....................  roads started.

Canals:   Built to transport bulk goods. The Incline Plain constructed to link the Severn to the ...................  Union Canal.

1800 to 1900’s – The decline of the Iron Industry

Local coal and ironstone ..............:   importation of coal and I............  Ore.

..........     railways : Helped bring raw materials to the area and distribute finished products.

Industrial inertia: Continued to help keep declining foundries working.

Tile and ceramic (china) production:   Helped offset decline in iron industry.

Local Iron works: Started to produce fashionable ornamental iron castings

Such as cast iron fireplaces (Aga cooker), trivet stands, foot scrapers and door stops to avoid factory closures.

Local ........... labour : helped to maintain reputation for quality and helped avoid foundry closures.

Tourism: Started to become fashionable with the Victorians, even to Ironbridge.

1900 to 1960 – Industrial decline continues – dereliction

Local industry: Many factories have closed with little warfage traffic.

Major unemployment.

1960’s to the Present day – Industrial growth and a rise in tourism

............. New Town: Created by linking small villages and towns together.

New housing and shopping centres:  Built ................... sites that were once waste tips and derelict land.

New .................. :  of roads and motorways linking the area. M54 constructed.

New industry: Attracted to Telford due to the advantages a local labour force, fast road links, attractive factory set up schemes and new shopping centres and schools. 

Industrial heritage: Attracted ...................  firms to establish in the area.

Tourism: Recognised as very important for the area.

Conservation: Recognised as very important to maintain a sustainable balance.

 

Word Box

 

  • Iron
  • Skilled
  • Boat
  • Shropshire
  • Japanese

 

  • Exhausted
  • Telford
  • Coal
  • Turnpike
  • Agriculture

 

  • Steam
  • Infrastructre
  • Smelting
  • Brown Field

 

 

 

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