The Severn Valley: Industry, Heritage and Culture

Connecting Wales with the Bristol Channel, the River Severn was a major route for raw materials, manufactured goods and services before the arrival of railways and improved roads in the nineteenth century. This tour visits three places in the Severn Valley. Coalbrookdale in Shropshire is often described as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and the local Ironbridge Gorge Museum is dedicated to the history of the iron industry, Coalport China and tile making. The Wyre Forest in Worcestershire includes Bewdley, once the major port for Birmingham and the Black Country, Kidderminster, the carpet town, and Stourport, which originated as a canal town. Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire is home to the first iron-framed building in the world and an eighteenth-century model prison which is now open to the public. The tour finishes with a boat trip on the Severn from Shrewsbury.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive independently at the Copthorne Merry Hill Dudley, from 15.00
This evening there will be a welcome reception, dinner with wine and a talk by Dr Malcolm Dick - ‘The Severn Valley and the Industrial Revolution'.

Day 2: The Ironbridge Gorge Museum
Today is dedicated to the huge site at Ironbridge. Situated at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge on the River Severn, Ironbridge is often described as being the “Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution”. It takes its name from, the famous Iron Bridge, a 30-metre cast iron bridge that was built across the river in 1779. There are 35 historic sites within this World Heritage site of the Ironbridge Gorge including ten museums spread along the valley. Our day will include a photo opportunity at the famous bridge, the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, with the opportunity to visit the “Darby” houses that belonged to the Darby family of ironmasters. Time will be allowed for lunch and the afternoon will include Coalport China Museum and the Jackfield Tile Museum. We finish our visit with Blists Hills Open Air Museum.  Return to the hotel at a second talk by Malcolm: ‘Shrewsbury in the long eighteenth century’.

Day 3: Shrewsbury
Our first visit today is to Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, with its Main Mill being the first iron-framed building in the world, and an important industrial heritage site.  Known as the grandparent of skyscrapers, the Main Mill opened in 1797 as a purpose-built flax mill, and has since grown and been repurposed and adapted many times. After lunch (own expense) we visit Charles Darwin’s birthplace; a house positioned high above the River Severn in Shrewsbury, where he spent his formative years before boarding Shrewsbury School from 1818 to 1825. To finish the day, we take a boat trip on the River Severn, then return to hotel for a third talk by Malcolm: ‘Industry and Transport in the Wyre Forest’.

Day 4: Wyre Forest - Bewdley, Kidderminster and Stourport
We spend today in the historic Wyre Forest area, starting with a guided walk around Bewdley, including a short visit to Bewdley Museum to learn the history of this eighteenth-century riverside market town. Next, we visit the Carpet Museum at Kidderminster for a lecture at the UK’s only museum dedicated to celebrating the heritage, art and industry of carpet making. We have time to view the machinery and archives at this interesting museum.  After lunch (own expense), we coach to Stourport, a new town in the eighteenth century, for a one hour guided tour of canal basin by expert Lizey Thomson, followed by light refreshments.  Return to the hotel around 16.30.

NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion

Please note: Post tour extra nights are available at a supplement.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 40 passengers. 

INCLUDED

• Three nights’ bed and breakfast at the four-star Copthorne Merry Hill Dudley, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
• Welcome reception
• First night private three-course dinner with wine at the hotel
• Second and third dinners at the hotel restaurant
• All visits and entrance fees as per the itinerary
• Coach touring as per the itinerary
• Dr Malcolm Dick throughout
• Tour manager throughout

NOT INCLUDED

• Transport to the hotel is not included
• Double for sole use supplement - £180
• Extra nights on bed and breakfast basis
• Holiday insurance
• Meals other than those stated
• Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
• Porterage and gratuities

HOTEL

Copthorne Merry Hill Dudley

Four star hotel located overlooking the canal’s marina, set in the heart of the Black Country, offering a bar, restaurant, garden with terrace, fitness centre, and indoor swimming pool. The comfortable bedrooms offer modern facilities including TV, WIFI, hairdryer, and tea and coffee making facilities.

Hotel Website

MORE INFO

Your Tour Lecturer

Dr Malcolm Dick is Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham after directing the University’s Centre for West Midlands History for many years. He has led tours for Travel Editions on James Watt and the industrial heritage of the Black Country and is President of the Kidderminster Historical Society and Chairman of the Black Country Society. Malcolm has written extensively on the history of the West Midlands region and in 2019 he was awarded an OBE for ‘outstanding services to History in the West Midlands’. 

Please note that all our UK tours start and finish at the relevant hotel.  

You can normally check in from 3pm onwards but hotels will always be happy to store your luggage if you arrive earlier in the day. 

For full details of how to get to the hotel, directions and the nearest train station, please click on the hotel website or call our office for details. These will also be sent automatically with your confirmation. 

The welcome reception and first evening dinner / talk will commence at about 6pm - full details will be sent with your joining instructions about 10 days prior to the arrival date.