Buildwas - The Bridge
Buildwas Bridge [4]
 Return to the main road and turn left onto the bridge. Originally medieval, the bridge was built by the Buildwas monks.
Destroyed in the great flood of 1795 it was replaced by Thomas Telford's first ”iron" bridge in 1796, the second bridge which had a cast iron arch. Telford’s bridge was based on a Swiss design and survived until it was damaged in 1903 to be was rebuilt in 1905. The present bridge was and strengthened and widened by Shropshire County Council in 1992.
 Next to the bridge is a a memorial wall. In the middle is the Salopian seal and on either side are plaques telling the stories of the bridge’s life and rebirth’s. At the bottom is a cast iron section in black ANNO 1796 - a remnant of the Thomas Telford Bridge.
Cross the bridge and turn right on to Buildwas Road (just before the B4380 junction and signposted Ironbridge).
 In front of Bridge House B&B you will see some green cast iron sections that are the remnants of the 1905 bridge that replaced Telford’s.
Buildwas was a busy area, there was a wharf at Buildwas to transport limestone and goods down river for use elsewhere. There was also a converging of rail lines at Buildwas to transport people and goods when transport was minimal and usually by foot, horse and cart, or water.
In 1859 Royal Assent was given for a rail line to be constructed from Much Wenlock to Buildwas, so that men and horses would no longer have to struggle with their heavy loads on the steep descent into Buildwas. Buildwas had the Severn Valley Line (presently the restored Kidderminster-Bridgnorth section is all that remains of the main line, for tourist use only) meeting at that terminus.
In the days of active rail travel and transport a rail line went through Buildwas to Wellington, Shrewsbury, Coalbrookdale, Bridgnorth, Craven Arms and points beyond, until Dr. Beeching decided that rail lines were to close. 1962 marked the end of the passenger traffic from Wenlock to Buildwas and January 1964 marked the end of a goods train from Wenlock to Buildwas.
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