The Iron Bridge The first iron bridge in the world, designed by the architect Thomas Pritchard in 1775 and built by Abraham Darby III in 1777-79. It was intended to be an advertisement for the skills of the Coalbrookdale ironmasters, and it proved a spectacular success. Artists and engineers came from all over the world to marvel at it, and Abraham Darby was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Society of Arts. Thomas Pritchard died before it was completed.