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Join Harold Mytum from the University of Liverpool for a fascinating Twilight Tales talk exploring the use of cast iron in churchyard memorials. Hosted by Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust (IGMT), this session reveals how Coalbrookdale and other iron foundries across the UK responded to growing demand for commemorative monuments by developing innovative designs using cast iron.

In the later 19th and early 20th centuries, bereaved families found new ways to express their loss through memorials that combined mass production with personal memory. This talk delves into the social and industrial history behind these artefacts, highlighting how design and material choices reflected both technological progress and emotional expression.

Attendees will discover the real stories behind these enduring memorials and gain insight into the cultural significance of cast iron in commemorative art. This event is part of IGMT’s Twilight Tales series, which explores the darker, stranger and more unusual stories from history and the museum’s Collections.

Ideal for those interested in heritage, design history, and the intersection of industry and emotion, this talk offers a unique perspective on Victorian mourning culture and its lasting legacy.