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The Iron Bridge Trivia Quiz

Some facts and figures about the world's first bridge to be made from cast iron.

A multiple-choice quiz by elmo44. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
elmo44

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
310,795

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
513

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In which county of England will you find the Iron Bridge? Hint

Yorkshire

Shropshire

Lancashire

Kent

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. In which year was the Iron Bridge, the first bridge made from cast iron in England and the world, opened? Hint

1731

1781

1831

1751

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Which of Britain's rivers does the Iron Bridge cross? Hint

Thames

Mersey

Trent

Severn

4. Many of England's rivers were used to transport goods and raw materials. This had to be taken into consideration when the bridge was being designed. How high above the water is the arch of the Iron Bridge? Hint

75-80ft

55-60ft

90-95ft

35-40t

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Question 5 of 10

5. Abraham Darby I moved around England as he worked to improve his knowledge of iron. The family moved from Bristol to Coalbrookdale where his grandson Abraham Darby III was to underwrite the construction costs of the Iron Bridge. Which religion were the Darby family? Hint

Methodist

Quaker

Mormon

Baptist

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Question 6 of 10

6. The cost of building the Iron bridge was raised by a share issue, with most shareholders coming from the same area of England as the Darby family. The original estimate for the cost of the bridge was �3150. How much did the bridge actually cost? Hint

�6000

�3675

�2000

�8050

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Question 7 of 10

7. During the Industrial Revolution Britain had many outstanding engineers, architects and industrialists. Who designed the Iron Bridge? Hint

Thomas Pritchard

Robert MacAdam

Thomas Telford

Steven Till

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Question 8 of 10

8. The position of the Iron Bridge at the heart of England's industrial country meant that construction materials were close to hand. Approximately how many tons of cast iron were used in construction of the Iron Bridge? Hint

450

510

275

385

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Question 9 of 10

9. People came from all over England to view the completed bridge. What is the name of the hotel in Ironbridge built by the bridge operators to cater for these tourists? Hint

The Tontine

The Coalbrooke

The Madeley

The Darby

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Question 10 of 10

10. Ironbridge Gorge became one of England's first World Heritage Sites in what year? Hint

1991

1976

1981

1986

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 15 2024 : mazza47: 5/10
Nov 09 2024 : Reveler: 9/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In which county of England will you find the Iron Bridge?

Answer: Shropshire

In the 17th century the county of Shropshire was a rich source of raw materials including coal, iron-ore, limestone and water. The abundance of these materials attracted early industrialists such as Abraham Darby I to the area. The Darby family operated kilns in Coalbrookdale and it was Abraham Darby III who first proposed the idea of a bridge across the gorge.

2. In which year was the Iron Bridge, the first bridge made from cast iron in England and the world, opened?

Answer: 1781

Construction began in 1779. The bridge was opened on 1st January 1781.

3. Which of Britain's rivers does the Iron Bridge cross?

Answer: Severn

The Severn is the longest river in Britain and its fast flowing water made it ideal for providing power for the industries that sprang up around it.

Answer: 55-60ft

The River Severn was an important transport link for trading vessels, so clearance had to be high enough to allow the masts of sailboats under the bridge.

Answer: Quaker

The Quaker values of equality were demonstrated in the tolls paid to cross the bridge- everyone had to pay, even royalty. The tolls were collected until 1950.

Answer: �6000

Abraham Darby promised to bear any extra costs himself. He ended up being in debt for the rest of his life, having had to pay almost �3000.

7. During the Industrial Revolution Britain had many outstanding engineers, architects and industrialists. Who designed the Iron Bridge?

Answer: Thomas Pritchard

Pritchard, an architect from Shrewsbury worked closely with Ironmaster John Wilkinson.

Answer: 385

The largest pieces are the half ribs- each is 70 feet long and weighs 5.5 tons. Over 800 castings were used in total.

9. People came from all over England to view the completed bridge. What is the name of the hotel in Ironbridge built by the bridge operators to cater for these tourists?

Answer: The Tontine

The bridge became a tourist attraction as soon as it opened. The Tontine was opened in 1784 and is still operating today.

10. Ironbridge Gorge became one of England's first World Heritage Sites in what year?

Answer: 1986

The area is known as "The Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution". The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are a collection of ten museums where visitors can experience some of the history of the area. Well worth a visit!

Source: Author elmo44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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