Madeley Court

The famed Darby Dynasty grew in historical stature with the arrival Circa 1709 of Abraham Darby 1, from Bristol. He was to pursue his theory that Coke from Coal, sourced locally, would provide fuel for Ironmaking. A leading member of the Quaker faith he utilised a furnace from the Brooke Family of Madeley Court, at their Coalbrookedale "works". Madeley Court has undergone artistic and unique restoration in recent years, it can now rightfully reclaim it's title as one of England's finest buildings. It is a Luxury Hotel, these days, mixing the old and the new to near perfection, in a idyllic setting within the community. Madeley can also proudly boast it's Abraham Darby School, a modern comprehensive, rated one of the best in academic achievements. Pupil's from the school assisted in the construction of the Meadow Pit Memorial Garden's in 1997. Visually the community changes with time, Madeley is about to under go further re-development, with improvements to it's shopping centre, whilst oraly accents from the Quaker era can still be heard spoken, in the area.eg.," How bin thee Mon!? and "How b'ist!?, can amusingly at times, assume to have spanned time to this day. The Town of Madeley, under the shroud of Telford's Development Agency and it's Unitary Authority Governing Council, statuted in April 1998, can with the inhabitant's, look back to 1264, for it's initial connection with Coal, and the Brooke Family. It is written that the Wenlock Priory "Licence Walter de Colebrook for the digging of Coles at Brocholes" (Madeley).

William Reynolds William Reynolds became a major industrialist during the era and diversified his interests throughout the region. They included a joint consortium with the Anstice Family to produce localy kilned pottery from minerals extracted from Madeley Wood Company Mines. A local Junior School is named after him, the children have produced their own web page following their visit to the Meadow Pit site as part of their research. They are the Future, ......."from the mouth's of babe's" see how they! view the past! it is enlightening, of that we can be sure.