The maudlin Cluniac ruins of Wenlock Priory rise up from vivid green lawns, sprinkled with animal-shaped topiary. The priory was raised by Norman monks over the ruins of a Saxon monastery from AD 680, and its hallowed remains include a finely decorated chapterhouse and an unusual carved lavabo, where monks came to ceremonially wash before eating.
Wenlock Priory
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.45 MILES
Resembling a glittering stack of gift-wrapped presents, the Francine Houben–designed Library of Birmingham is an architectural triumph. The 2013-opened…
28.33 MILES
At the University of Birmingham, 3 miles south of the city centre, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts has an astonishing collection of Renaissance…
25.78 MILES
Surrounded by magnificent gardens, the redbrick Powis Castle was originally constructed in the 13th century by Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, prince of Powys,…
Cosford Royal Air Force Museum
10.54 MILES
This famous aerospace museum 13 miles east of Ironbridge is run by the Royal Air Force, whose pilots steered many of these winged wonders across the skies…
3.59 MILES
The arching Iron Bridge, which gives the area its name, was built to flaunt the new technology invented by the pioneering Darby family. At the time of its…
23.91 MILES
More than 6000 vines are now planted over 2.4 hectares of the former Pentreheyling Roman Fort, where pottery and metalwork have been uncovered and are…
3.47 MILES
An ideal place to kick off your Ironbridge Gorge visit is the Museum of the Gorge. Occupying a Gothic riverside warehouse, it offers an overview of the…
28.68 MILES
The next best thing to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is Cadbury World, 4 miles south of Birmingham. It educates visitors about the history of cocoa and…
Nearby attractions
0.1 MILES
The ancient, eroded Holy Trinity Church was built in 1150 over Saxon foundations. Note the Norman arch as you enter with the (as yet) undeciphered…
0.11 MILES
Built in classic Tudor style in 1540, the wonky Guildhall features some splendidly ornate woodcarving. One of the pillars supporting it was used for…
3.22 MILES
This was once the biggest clay tobacco pipe-maker in the country, but the industry nose dived after the introduction of prerolled cigarettes in the 1880s,…
3.47 MILES
An ideal place to kick off your Ironbridge Gorge visit is the Museum of the Gorge. Occupying a Gothic riverside warehouse, it offers an overview of the…
3.59 MILES
The arching Iron Bridge, which gives the area its name, was built to flaunt the new technology invented by the pioneering Darby family. At the time of its…
3.89 MILES
By the River Severn, you can see the remains of the 1750s-built coke-fired blast furnaces, which remained in use into the 19th century.
3.91 MILES
Kids will love this levers-and-pulleys science centre where they can control robots, move a steam locomotive with their bare hands (and a little…
8. Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron
3.92 MILES
Set in the brooding buildings of Abraham Darby's original iron foundry, the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron contains some excellent interactive exhibits. As…