Britain's most-celebrated historic site is Stonehenge. But it's arguable that this sleepy valley in Shropshire had a far more fundamental impact on history than a bunch of big rocks ever could. It was here that the Industrial Revolution was born, 300 years ago, when Abraham Darby succeeded in smelting iron ore using coke, thus allowing the mass-production of iron. Before long, his successors were building huge structures including the world's first cast iron bridge, built here in 1779 and still a stunning sight today.
Pictured: World's 50 most beautiful things
Pictured: 30 natural marvels you probably haven't heard of
World's smelliest foods
Browse our 600-plus destination guides
