The densely wooded, mineral-rich Severn Gorge was the "birthplace of the Industrial Revolution". In 1708, Abraham Darby (1677-1717) was the first to use coke for smelting iron, replacing traditional charcoal. His experiments rapidly revolutionised the iron industry making large-scale projects such as Iron Bridge possible. Today, the UNESCO-listed Severn Gorge is home to an industrial museum split between several sites along the gorge.