Exploring Shropshire's China town

Coalport china is famous the world over, and rightly so, for it's exquisite stuff. The story of how it came to be made here is interesting too. Coalport, which is much smaller today than it was at its peak, was planned as a canal-river interchange and a complete new town by ironmaster William Reynolds. Between 1788 and 1796 he built warehouses, workshops, factories and cottages on formerly undeveloped land by the river. Crucially, he also constructed the Shropshire Canal to link the East Shropshire Coalfield with the River Severn. The terminus was at Coalport Wharf, between the Brewery Inn and Coalport Bridge.

Monument to Industry

The canal greatly aided the new town's development, especially after the completion of the Hay Inclined Plane in 1793. This is one of the country's major industrial monuments, the best preserved and most spectacular of its kind. It was the means by which boats were transferred from the top to the bottom of the gorge. Equivalent to 27 locks, but worked by only four men, it could pass six boats in an hour, a feat which would have taken three hours using a lock system. The boats were carried up and down the almost 1 in 4 gradient on wheeled cradles. The incline is now part of Blists Hill Museum, but you can see part of it on this walk. After the canal was superseded by a railway it silted up, became overgrown and was infilled during the 1920s. It was partially restored in 1976 and again in the 1990s.

In 1795 the Coalport China Company was founded by John Rose in the large building which is now a youth hostel and cafe. Across the former canal is a later china works, now Coalport China Museum, showing factory life and manufacturing techniques. Even if you don't go inside the museum, the whole site, with mellow brick buildings and enormous kilns, is wonderfully evocative. China manufacture ceased here in 1926 when the company moved to the Potteries. Coalport China is now part of the Wedgwood group.

Climb steps left of the furnaces, go right a few paces then up more steps into parkland, then zigzag up via pergolas and steps. Turn right at the top and emerge facing The Golden Ball Inn.

Skirt left of the pub then keep right at a junction along Wesley Road, to pass the pub car park. Go left at another junction and through a gate into a wood called The Crostan. A stepped path climbs to a junction where two paths are indicated. Take the right-hand one, signed 'Lloyd's Coppice', climbing by the woodland edge to another waymarked junction.

Turn right on a level path (South Telford Way marker), which runs across two meadows into woodland, with Lloyd's Coppice clinging to the steep slope on your right. Ignore innumerable smaller paths. At a waymarked junction, signed 'Madeley', fork left. The track swings left, then a stony track goes to the right, with houses on its left.

After a sharp bend left and a straight section, a few steps on the right lead down past a redundant stile into Lee Dingle. The main path is normally obvious: at a clear fork keep right and descend steps, soon emerging to a road. Cross Coalport Rd to Legges Way, turn left under two bridges, then turn right at the entrance to Blists Hill Museum.

Go straight on then turn right just above the coach park, skirting the Blists Hill site. Keep close to the railings and soon you'll see the canal through the trees. Keep on parallel to the canal until you glimpse the top of the great Hay Incline, then descend just to its left, alongside more railings.

Descend to a former railway at a bridge under the incline. Turn left here then fork right at an embedded railway wheel and zigzag down to the road. Turn right and go past The Shakespeare Inn. Cross a bridge over the incline, then turn left and left again to the tow path of the Shropshire Canal. Re-cross the canal at the next footbridge and walk past the China Museum, Coalport Youth Hostel and its cafe. Join the road and continue in the same direction. Join the Silkin Way via The Brewery Inn car park; follow it to Coalport Bridge and cross the river.

Turn right on the Severn Valley Way, which passes through Preen's Eddy picnic area, then climbs away from the river to follow a former railway trackbed. Turn right at a sign for Silkin Way via Jackfield Bridge; the lane loops round left to The Boat Inn. Continue past cottages, follow a track below Maws Craft Centre and continue along another narrow track.

Emerge into a car park by the Half Moon. As the exit track bends left, bear right on a level track. Emerge into a street, pass Jackfield Tile Museum and carry straight on at Jackfield Sidings, passing behind the Black Swan. When a bridge crosses the path go right and down to the road. Cross Jackfield Bridge, then turn left. Pass Ye Olde Robin Hood Inn and the Bird in Hand and return to Bedlam Furnaces.