Blists Hill Victorian Town

Blists Hill Victorian Town is a beautiful reconstruction standing on the site of the former Blists Hill Works. It is a unique mining area from Madeley's industrial past. Now forming part of the Ironbridge Gorge network of museums it is a wonderful day out for the whole family.

Source of Bitumen

Little is known about Blists Hill until the late 18th century, by which time mining was well established. It was the Quaker Ironmaster William Reynolds that brought the area to prominence in 1786. He tried to connect the mines with the River Severn by tunneling horizontally through the hill from Coalport. In the process he discovered a natural source of bitumen. This 'Tar Tunnel' is now a popular visitor attraction.

Shropshire Canal

After the construction of the Shropshire Canal, which linked Blists Hill to other industrial areas, it began to prosper.

Inclined Plane

One of the most fascinating features of the Blists Hill site is the Hay Inclined Plane. It was completed in 1793 and linked the upper canal system to the lower in Coalport. This 305 metre, 1,000 ft, long inclined plane was a wonderful feat of engineering. It overcame the difficulties created by the geology of the area.

Bedlam Furnaces

Blast furnaces were build on the site by the Madeley Wood Company in 1832, 1840 and 1844. These replaced their Bedlam Furnaces on the banks of the Severn. They also created brick and tile works on the site.

Open air Museum

By the 1950's Blists Hill was an industrial wasteland. Its regeneration as an open air museum has ensured its legacy lives on. Future generations can see how important Madeley and its parish was to the Industrial Revolution.

Victorian Shops

These vestiges of our industrial past can be seen everywhere as today's visitors stroll through the museum site. The reconstructed Victorian Shops, with their shopkeepers dressed in period costume, takes the visitor back in time. At every turn there are exciting things to see and sample from a bygone era.

Redevelopment

The site has excellent parking, toilet and restaurant facilities. It has just undergone a multi-million pound redevelopment to enhance the visitor experience.