This film is part of Free
Ironbridge Gorge: Conservation Area
The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution becomes a nursery for the study and conservation of our industrial past.
Overview
The world's first iron arched bridge spans more than its eponymous gorge - it's also a vital link with our industrial heritage. This episode of the This Week in Britain series, sponsored by the Central Office of Information, brought this important Shropshire landmark to audiences across the Commonwealth and beyond. A reflection of the growing recognition, in the second half of the 20th century, that archaeology and conservation shouldn't be confined to Roman ruins and castles.
This was number 769 of the weekly series, giving some idea of its longevity (it ran until 1980). The area has since been designated as a World Heritage Site and the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust now boasts ten museums in the area. This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
Related
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
Octopus Octopus
2021 13 mins
Upon returning to her home town for a funeral, a young woman reconnects with the friends she left behind.