Pub history · No.6 of 18 · Ironbridge
The Swan Taphouse
1781 | From malthouse to riverside inn
The Swan sits right on the Wharfage and belongs to the great period of change immediately following construction of the Iron Bridge.
The building has 18th-century origins and began life connected with the malting trade before becoming an inn serving the growing riverside community.
Merchants, ironmasters, labourers and travellers all moved along this stretch.
Local tradition even connects the Swan with meetings associated with the Iron Bridge itself.
Again, we're treating that as tradition unless documentary evidence turns up.
But that is exactly why we're doing this research.
One old document can completely alter the story of a pub.
How we know this date
- DocumentedHistoric England lists the Swan as an 18th-century building on the Wharfage and records that part of it was a malthouse.Source: Historic England list entry 1374369
This is a working date. If you have a document or photograph that changes it, we'd genuinely like to see it.
Then
Now
The Swan Taphouse · Ironbridge
Can you help with The Swan Taphouse?
We're still researching this pub. Old photographs, licences, newspaper cuttings, brewery documents or family memories all help — and if you have evidence that changes our date, we'd genuinely like to see it.
Stay in the loop
Get the week's events by email
One short email each week: live music, events and new history features from the Gorge. No spam, unsubscribe any time.