The 17th September marked the 300^th anniversary of our historic Coalbrookdale foundry – where every cooker is still hand-made today – we hosted a special event for dyed-in-the-wool AGA fans.

The event featured tours of the AGA foundry itself, as well as the neighbouring Enginuity Museum and the world’s first cast-iron bridge at Ironbridge.

And among the guests of honour were members of AGA’s national network of special advocates.

Because of their devotion to the AGA way of living, advocates volunteer to take new owners through how to get the best out of the world’s most famous cooker, answering questions and providing one-to-one tips and advice.

The advocates were greeted by AGA chief executive William McGrath and Michael Darby, a direct descendant of Abraham Darby. Also present was Cllr Karen Blundell, Mayoress of Telford and Wrekin.

It was in 1709 at Coalbrookdale that famed engineer Abraham Darby first smelted coke with iron ore at AGA’s historic foundry, sparking the Industrial Revolution and changing forever how we live.

The celebrations, on Thursday, September 17, were officially launched with a cake-cutting ceremony at the Enginuity centre at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron. The cake in question, created to provide some inspiration to competition entrants, features a stunning Emma Bridgewater designed three-oven AGA.

The new model – stylishly enamelled with Emma’s signature multi-coloured polka dots – was commissioned as part of the AGA-Rangemaster Group’s Great British Cooker campaign.

Before cutting the cake AGA chief executive William McGrath thanked the AGA advocates for all they had done over the years and said: “This is truly a proud day for us. Since 1709, it’s been an incredible journey from Coalbrookdale to Bridgewater, taking in 300 years of outstanding innovation and iconic design on the way.”