Beautiful Ironbridge on Christmas Day

and a chat with the “Grand Old Lady”.

The “Grand Old Lady” of Ironbridge, a World Heritage Site and the world’s oldest iron bridge, 25th December 2023 (Author’s Collection)

Bribed with the prospect of a bag of chips, my beautiful son accompanied me to my spiritual home of Ironbridge on a Christmas Eve full of the wonders and the twinkling of lights illuminating this picture postcard piece of heaven here on earth. So it was an easy decision to return on the big day itself armed with the knowledge that I’d have this World Heritage Site largely to myself and I did. I never need an excuse to visit Ironbridge and after the misty darkness of the night before it was a pleasant if damp Christmas Day with the “Grand Old Lady” as I passed on my regards to the oldest iron bridge in the world and wished a happy Christmas to another grand old lady who’s presence (and not presents) I miss desperately, and I forever feel close to her in this beautiful part of our universe.

Without any further melancholy or ado, here’s a gaggle of images from Christmas Day, 2023:

Viewing platform beside the commemorative statue to the two world wars (Author’s Collection)

A bridge with a view and the River Severn rolling on by in a south westerly direction (Author’s Collection)

A bridge with a view and the River Severn rolling on by in a north westerly direction (Author’s Collection)

View from the centre of the bridge towards the town of Ironbridge dominated by St Luke’s Church (Author’s Collection)

The world’s oldest iron bridge erected in the year 1779 and cast in nearby Coalbrookdale (Author’s Collection)

The “Grand Old Lady” of Ironbridge (almost) all to myself (Author’s Collection)

Ironbridge Gorge, Christmas Day 2023 (Author’s Collection)

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Thanks for reading. There are a wealth of similar articles on Ironbridge as well as my various UK travels in 2022–2023 contained within my archives here.

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