Shropshire’s Spark in the Industrial Revolution
In 1665 Roland Hill (not Old Sir Rowland), of Soulton, settled the:
‘…two water paper mylnes [mills]…of Great Bolas..’
on his son Thomas when he married. Britain was already undergoing industrialization in the 17th century, and this record demonstrates that spirit of innovation was already present at Soulton Hall, well before the 18th century, when some traditionally mark the start of this movement.
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It is common place that Shropshire played a crucial role in igniting the Industrial Revolution:
- Abraham Darby I revolutionized iron production with his coke smelting process in Coalbrookdale;
- His grandson then built the world’s first large-scale cast iron bridge – the Iron Bridge – in 1779, a symbol of progress that showcased iron’s potential.
- Beyond iron, Shropshire thrived in coal mining, textiles, ceramics, and canals, becoming a hub of invention.
such that to today, the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the innovative Shrewsbury Flax Mill, a testament to human ingenuity and a reminder of the transformative power of technology.
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A potentially overlooked aspect of these developments is the connection to the Shropshire Hill dynasty, who were landlords to some key players, such as those at Tern Mill. Recognizing this connection can, perhaps, shed new light on some of the stylistic decisions made in the design of Ironbridge.
