The history of East Shropshire has had a global impact, with Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale acknowledged as the ‘Cradle of the Industrial Revolution’. In this book, local industrial history expert Neil Clarke examines through photographs and old drawings the history of the waterways in this area, which both came from the Industrial Revolution and enabled its growth, looking at the early uses of the waterways and their current impact on the area.

As well as the River Severn, the longest river in the United Kingdom, the waterways of East Shropshire include the canals that were some of the first highways for the expanding Industrial Revolution. This area of Shropshire has changed beyond all recognition, as the harsh lines of industry have been replaced with greenery, yet the remnants of its industrial past can still be seen along its waterways.