Conservation, heritage and historic buildings

The Ironbridge area was the industrial focus of the East Shropshire Coalfield from the 16^th Century onwards. Its industries were based on its mineral resources of coal, clay. ironstone and limestone. . However, it was the site of several technological and managerial innovations in the 18^th century that has caused the area to be described as the "birthplace of the industrial revolution".

The most famous monument to those times still stands at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge. In 1779, Abraham Darby built the world's first cast iron bridge to span the River Severn. Nearby are important sites including the remains of furnaces, tile works, china works, as well as the homes of those who pioneered the industrial revolution. Many of these sites are now managed by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

Beyond Ironbridge, there are many other important sites and monuments, such as Lilleshall Abbey, an Augustinian house founded c1148 or the hillforts on The Wrekin. Throughout the Borough, the influence of the great engineer Thomas Telford can be found. This includes structures as diverse as the iron aqueduct at Longdon-upon-Tern and St Michael's church, Madeley. Notable other grade 1 listed churches in the Borough include St Peter's in Edgmond and St James in Stirchley.

There are also many other interesting domestic buildings of both national and local interest. There is Madeley Court, an Elizabethan mansion that has recently been restored as a hotel; Smallwood lodge, a fine example of a timber framed building and Preston Trust Homes founded in 1725 which is a Grade 1 listed building which has been recently converted to residential use.