The Iron Bridge is a bridge that crosses the River Severn in Shropshire, England, not far from Stretton. Opened in 1781, it was the first arch bridge in the world to be made of cast iron, and was greatly celebrated after construction owing to its use of the new material. In 1934 Iron Bridge was designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument and closed to vehicular traffic. Tolls for pedestrians were collected until 1950.
The bridge, the adjacent settlement of Ironbridge and the Ironbridge Gorge form the UNESCO Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. The bridge is a Grade I listed building, and a waypoint on the South Telford Heritage Trail. The Iron Bridge in its many representations came to symbolise the dramatic changes underway, bridging the gap from the old world to the new.
Abraham Darby III paid William Williams 10 guineas in 1780 to commission the painting below of the bridge. 