Pride of place COALBROOKDALE GARDEN SEAT
Homes & Antiques|July 2024
The Shropshire village made famous by the Darby family's adventures in iron is as celebrated for its ornate garden furniture as it is for its ground-breaking bridge, says Janet Gleeson
Janet Gleeson
Pride of place COALBROOKDALE GARDEN SEAT

As summer beckons, the desire for somewhere to rest and admire our horticultural triumphs comes into sharp focus. At such a time, what could be more fitting than a garden seat wrought with passion flowers, or threaded with lily of the valley, ferns, or blackberries? Even convolvulus can be welcomed if cast in iron, rather than rampaging through the roses.

It's thanks to Coalbrookdale that gardeners today have this array of attractive and robust cast-iron furniture at their disposal. The pioneering company was the brainchild of Abraham Darby I (1678-1717) who, in 1709, took over a derelict foundry in Coalbrookdale, a village crouched in a Shropshire gorge, with coal mines set into the side of the valley.

To begin with, Darby focused on the manufacture of high-grade engineering components and utilitarian cooking pots and kettles, cutting production costs by using coke rather than charcoal to fuel his blast furnace.

By the 1770s, having perfected the technique, the foundry-now run by Abraham Darby III (1750-1789) was also producing cast-iron rails for railways and, in 1779, made the Iron Bridge over the River Severn. It was the world's first bridge made entirely from iron and is now a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The company's heyday came in the 19th century, after Abraham III's sons, Francis and Albert, joined the company and decided to push the boundaries further, venturing into the manufacture of decorative items for the garden.

Over the following decades, some of the leading designers and sculptors of the age were enlisted, including Alfred Stevens, Dr Christopher Dresser, John Bell and Joseph Kershaw.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 2024-Ausgabe von Homes & Antiques.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 2024-Ausgabe von Homes & Antiques.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS HOMES & ANTIQUESAlle anzeigen
Lisa Coppin
Homes & Antiques

Lisa Coppin

The Cotswold Company’s chief creative officer shares the pieces that mean so much to her

time-read
2 Minuten  |
December 2024
TRAVEL
Homes & Antiques

TRAVEL

Six of the best pineta, plus a festive trip to Covent Garden. Review of The Orange, Belgravia by Katie Pike, travel stories

time-read
2 Minuten  |
December 2024
OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE
Homes & Antiques

OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE

Stumbled upon by chance, this ingenious material was a more affordable option than solid silver, and well-preserved examples are particularly desirable today

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 2024
Merrily on high
Homes & Antiques

Merrily on high

Summoning servants since the 1700s, bell boards create instant English country-house style (even if you don't have any servants). Emma Longstaff dons her pinny

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 2024
Let it snow
Homes & Antiques

Let it snow

Nostalgic, magical and highly collectable, snow globes are curious objects of wonder that never fail to instil joy

time-read
7 Minuten  |
December 2024
Velvet Crush
Homes & Antiques

Velvet Crush

Once the preserve of the wealthy, velvet finally touched all levels of society, thanks to advances in its production process

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 2024
Celebrating in the Stable
Homes & Antiques

Celebrating in the Stable

Antiques dealer Julia von Hülsen specialises in Gustavian pieces - all of which look perfectly placed in her German home

time-read
2 Minuten  |
December 2024
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Homes & Antiques

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Victorian toy theatres charming and exquisitely designed miniature worlds have inspired theatre royalty for decades. Today, the tradition is being kept alive by a small but talented network of makers

time-read
6 Minuten  |
December 2024
NICHOLAS LEES
Homes & Antiques

NICHOLAS LEES

The ceramic artist talks to Dominique Corlett about new ways of working with clay and blurring the edges of solid objects

time-read
4 Minuten  |
December 2024
Candy CHRISTMAS
Homes & Antiques

Candy CHRISTMAS

Pastel hues, vintage decorations and bowls of sweet treats: the festive run-up is gloriously joyful at Bettina Færgeman's historic Copenhagen apartment, where there's an emphasis on entertaining...

time-read
2 Minuten  |
December 2024