A Bank Holiday at Blists Hill Victorian Town

24 May, 2026

Blists Hill Victorian Town reopened last Thursday, so we thought we'd finally go and check it out over the bank holiday weekend. The National Trust recently took over the management of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust earlier this year. A lot has been said from both camps but for us as paying National Trust members... we think it's great! Just make sure you book a timed entry ticket!

Blists Hill Victorian Town is an open‑air living history museum in the Ironbridge Gorge that recreates a small Shropshire town around 1900, complete with relocated and reconstructed buildings, costumed demonstrators, and working Victorian‑era shops and industries.

I immediately noticed a sign offering a free guided tour at 11.30, and since it was 11.20 we waited in the shade expectantly. The tour did not disappoint, and explained some of the background of the museum site. Once again, always take the tour if you can!

The tour guide explained the origin of the name which is apparently a corruption of "Blessed Hill" because the men mining here all those years ago realised they wouldn't be moving on any time soon as there was that much material to mine here.

After the tour, we were tempted by the chip shop that smelt amazing however a sign said the chips were cooked in beef fat so that was a no-go for us. Instead we popped into the sweet shop and bought a stick of rock to enjoy. We walked along the old canal (wouldn't it be amazing if the National Trust managed to re-water this stretch!) towards the Hay Inclined Plane. This was how they got boats up to the site when it was operational. It was in use between 1793 to 1894 and helped a team of men to raise boats a height of 63 metres in a matter of minutes using gravity.

At this point we were glad we'd walked this way around the loop. The steps down the side of the Inclined Plane were pretty big, and today was the hottest day of 2026 so far. Walking up would have sucked! Walking into the woods was a refreshing break from the sun - the shade was a welcome respite. We emerged from the woods, immediately found the cafe then continued to hide from the Sun whilst eating scones.

We continued around the loop back towards the main street, being interrupted by a low flying Douglas DC-3 plane. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera ready so didn't manage to snap any cool photos. It was loud and low! Flightradar said it was a "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight".

We managed to explore the bakery, bank, and pharmacy. In each, we got to speak to the demonstrators running the 'shops' and learn something interesting about each. Unfortunately, the pub was absolutely rammed so we had to give it a miss.

Overall we had a very nice day out however it's worth noting that quite a few buildings are still not fully open at Blists Hill so perhaps you won't get the full experience for a few months yet. They have nine other museums in the area so we'll be back once a few more of these are operational under the National Trust banner.

Victorian-era buildings and the Blists Hill Goods Station
Historic blast furnaces stand amid stone foundations and greenery, remnants of a once-thriving industrial site.
Hay Inclined Plane climb steeply showing the old tracks
Scones (with blackcurrant jam), clotted cream, jam, and orange juice.
The canal on site bordered by vegetation with the old head frame in the background
Shelves of colourful glass bottles and labeled jars fill the pharmacy

James Leighton

A Bank Holiday at Blists Hill Victorian Town

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