Broseley

Broseley
Shropshire
Barratts Hill, Broseley
Location
Grid reference:	SJ676015
Location:	52°36’44"N, 2°28’55"W
Data
Population:	4,912
Post town:	Broseley
Postcode:	TF12
Dialling code:	01952
Local Government
Council:	Shropshire
Parliamentary constituency:	Ludlow

Broseley is a small town in Shropshire, with a population of 4,912 at the 2001 census. The River Severn flows to the north and east of the town.

The first iron bridge in the world was built in 1779 to link Broseley with Coalbrookdale and Madeley. This led to the development of the Ironbridge Gorge, which is now part of a World Heritage Site.

History

A manor existed in 1086 and is listed as Bosle in the Domesday Book.

The town is on the south bank of the Ironbridge Gorge and so shares much of the history of its better known, but more recent, neighbour, Ironbridge.

In 1600, the town of Broseley consisted of only 27 houses and was part of the Shirlett Royal Forest. The area was known for mining; some of the stone used to build Buildwas Abbey was taken from Broseley and there is evidence that wooden wagonways existed in Broseley in 1605 [1], giving Broseley a serious claim to the oldest railways in Britain, in what is now the Birchmeadow Playing Fields. The wagonways were almost certainly constructed for the transport of coal and clay and it was these resources that led to the huge expansion of the town during the Industrial Revolution.

Many of the developments celebrated by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum's collection of preserved industrial heritage sites either started in Broseley or were connected to the town. Broseley was a centre for ironmaking, pottery and clay pipes [2]; the earliest recorded pipemaker was working in the town in 1590.

John Wilkinson constructed the world's first iron boat whilst living in the town, and the plans for the Iron Bridge were drawn up in Broseley. Abraham Darby I, who developed the process of smelting iron using coking coal, is buried here.

In the latter half of the nineteenth century the area suffered a decline, as industries moved elsewhere. This left a legacy of uncapped mineshafts, derelict buildings, abandoned quarries, spoil heaps and pit mounds.

In the last thirty years of the twentieth century Broseley experienced a modern revival with the development of Telford across the River Severn. New estates were built to the east of Broseley centre, whilst many older properties were developed or renovated, but the town is still less populated now than it would have been two hundred years ago, when population figures were over five thousand.

Environment

Shops and pubs on the High Street

Broseley borders the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site and evidence of involvement in the Industrial Revolution can be seen throughout the town. These include the railways, mines, ironworks, brickworks, kilns, houses and fine buildings associated with the area's industrial past.

The jitties (lanes and paths) of Broseley Wood on the western boundary of Broseley are the remains of cottage settlements built for miners. At the other end of the social spectrum the town has many examples of Ironmaster houses, dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

There are two wildlife areas maintained by local groups. The Hay Cop [3] between Dark Lane and Ironbridge Road was the site of the town's water supply and was developed as a nature reserve in 2007. Penns Meadow [4] on the border between Broseley and Benthall is a five-acre ancient meadow and is also being managed to protect and develop wildlife diversity. Both projects have been supported by The Broseley/Barrow Local Joint Committee [5], a Shropshire Council initiative to encourage devolution of decision making to local people.

Culture

Broseley has a large amateur dramatics society, BroADS, which performs a number of plays every year. Every month, the Birchmeadow Centre is used by Broseley Cinema, which shows well rated films on its own large screen. There is also a thriving arts and crafts community, who form a group known as the Broseley Artists.

Since 2009, the Birchmeadow Centre (owned by the Town Council) has hosted many live music events, presenting an impressive array of artists (most being broadly within the folk, blues, ballad genres) from the UK and abroad. As a result, Broseley (and its Birchmeadow) can be now regarded as the leading venue for such events for many miles around. Across the town's pubs and clubs, too, live music is a feature of many an evening.

The town has a number of historic pubs and eateries, mostly located towards the town centre. Broseley also has a "Broadplace" facility, a small centre for community usage of laptop computers, help & guidance, and free Internet access.

Legacy

The type of bricks and tiles once produced in abundance in Broseley have become synonymous with any product of their type, regardless of where they were made. Broseley bricks are notable for their brown and red mottled nature, a sign of their cheap production, and Broseley tiles are of a strawberry red to light brown hue.

The pipeworks in Broseley were responsible for producing millions of clay pipes which were shipped worldwide, and are invaluable in dating archaeological sites, as they survive without decay and their maker's stamp reveals their date of origin.

Works pioneered here and across the Ironbridge Gorge went on to set the stage for the mass production of iron products in the later Industrial Revolution which drove the expansion of the British Empire. This is in part due to the work of John Wilkinson and his construction of precision-engineered steam engines and weaponry.

Outside links

• Broseley Town Council website
• Broseley History Society
• Broseley
• Broseley's Birchmeadow Community Centre