Darby Houses facts for kids
The Darby Houses museum is a special place in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, England. It's part of the ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums, which are all about the history of this amazing area. The whole Ironbridge Gorge is a World Heritage Site, famous for being the very start of the Industrial Revolution – a time when new machines and factories changed the world!
The Darby Houses are actually two homes right next to each other: Dale House and Rosehill. Both were built for members of the important Darby family, who were pioneers in iron making.
Discovering the Darby Houses Museum
The Darby Houses museum lets you step back in time to see how a leading family from the Industrial Revolution lived. These homes show us what life was like for the Darbys, who were key figures in developing new ways to make iron.
Dale House: A Home for Iron Pioneers
Dale House was built way back in 1717 for Abraham Darby I. He was a very important person who found a new way to make iron using coke, which helped kick off the Industrial Revolution. This house looked out over a special pool called the Upper Furnace Pool. The water from this pool helped power the blast furnace, where iron was made.
Later, Abraham Darby I's son, Abraham Darby II, and his wife, Abiah Darby, lived here with their children. They moved to a new house in 1750. Over the years, the house grew bigger. In 1776, Abraham Darby III added a third floor by changing the attic. Today, Dale House has been carefully restored to look as much as possible like it did in the 1700s, showing us a glimpse into its past.
Rosehill: Another Darby Family Home
Rosehill was built around 1738 for Richard Ford. He married Mary, who was Abraham Darby I's oldest daughter. Richard worked for the Coalbrookdale Company, first as a clerk and later as the manager of the famous Coalbrookdale Ironworks.
In the mid-1800s, Rosehill was home to Richard Darby, who was Abraham Darby III's youngest son, and his wife Maria. After Richard passed away, his daughter Rebecca lived there until 1908. Rosehill has also been beautifully restored. It now looks like it would have in 1850, giving visitors a real sense of life in that period.
Both Dale House and Rosehill are listed buildings, which means they are important historical sites protected for future generations. Visiting them helps us understand the lives of the people who shaped the Industrial Revolution right here in Coalbrookdale.
