The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland It is a roughly triangular area bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east. A triangle is one of the basic Shapes of Geometry: a Polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are Line This article is about the river that flows along or close to the Anglo-Welsh border For other rivers named "Severn" see Severn River. The River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren, Latin Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England.

The view north towards Ross-on-Wye from Symonds Yat Rock, a popular tourist destination in the Forest

The area is characterised by over 110 km² of mixed woodland, one of the surviving ancient woodlands in England. ‘ Ancient Woodland ’ is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to Woodland dating back to 1600 or before in England and Wales A large area was reserved for royal hunting before 1066, and remained as one of the largest Crown forests in England, the largest after the New Forest. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land heathland and Forest in the heavily-populated Although the name is often used loosely to refer to that part of Gloucestershire between the Severn and Wye, the Forest of Dean proper has covered a much smaller area since mediaeval times. In 1327 it was defined to cover only the royal demesne and parts of parishes within the hundred of St Briavels^[1], and after 1668 the Forest comprised the royal demesne only. In the Feudal system demesne (also spelled desmesne pronounced /dəmeɪn/ or /dəmiːn/; via Old French demeine from Latin dominium) was all the land This area is now within the civil parishes of West Dean, Lydbrook, Cinderford, Ruspidge, and Drybrook. West Dean may refer to West Dean Gloucestershire West Dean West Sussex West Dean Wiltshire Lydbrook is a Civil parish in the Forest of Dean, a local government district in the English county of Gloucestershire. Ruspidge is a Village in west Gloucestershire, England. It is located near the town of Cinderford and near the Forest of Dean. Drybrook is a Village in the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. ^[2]

Traditionally the main sources of work in the area have been forestry – including charcoal production - iron working and coal mining. Forestry is the Art and Science of managing forests tree Plantations and related Natural resources. Charcoal' is the blackish residue consisting of impure Carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from Animal and Vegetation Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Evidence shows that the area was extensively mined for coal from about 8000 BC to 1965 AD. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar.

The area gives its name to the local government district, Forest of Dean, and a Parliamentary constituency. The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Parishes and settlements Alvington, Awre, Aylburton Blaisdon, Bromsberrow Forest of Dean is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The administrative centre is Coleford which is also one of the main towns in the area, together with Cinderford, Lydney and Newent. Coleford is a small Market town in Gloucestershire, England in the west of the Forest of Dean which has a population of 8351 (2001 census Cinderford is a small Town in Gloucestershire, England, with a Population of 8116 people ( United Kingdom Census 2001) Lydney is a small Town and Civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. Newent Gloucestershire (originally called "Noent" is a small Market town about 8 miles north west of Gloucester City, on the northern edge of the

History

The area was inhabited in Mesolithic times, and there are also remains of later megalithic monuments, including the Longstone^[3] near Staunton and the Broadstone^[4] at Wibdon, Stroat. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age Staunton is the name of two different villages in the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. Barrows have also been identified at Tidenham and Blakeney. A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a Mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves Tidenham is a village and Civil parish in the Forest of Dean of west Gloucestershire, England, close to the Welsh border Blakeney is a village in Gloucestershire, England. It has views of the Forest of Dean. Bronze Age field systems have been identified at Welshbury Hill near Littledean, and there are several Iron Age hill forts, including those at Symonds Yat and Lydney. Littledean or Little Dean ( is a village in west Gloucestershire, England, near the villages of West Dean and East Dean. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Symonds Yat is a Village within the Forest of Dean and a popular Tourist destination straddling the River Wye on the county border There is also early archaeological evidence of trading by sea, probably through Lydney. Before Roman times, the area may have been occupied by the British Dobunni tribe, although few of their coins have been found in the area and control may have been contested with the neighbouring Silures. The Dobunni were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. The Silures were a powerful and warlike Tribe of ancient Britain, occupying approximately the counties of Monmouthshire, Breconshire and ^[5]

The area was occupied by the Romans around 50 AD. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 They were attracted by the natural resources of the area, which included iron ore, ochre and charcoal. Iron ores are rocks and Minerals from which Metallic Iron can be economically extracted Ochre or Ocher (pronounced /'əʊkə(r/ from the Greek ὠχρός yellow is a Color, usually described as golden - Yellow Charcoal' is the blackish residue consisting of impure Carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from Animal and Vegetation The area was governed from the Roman town of Ariconium at Weston under Penyard near Ross-on-Wye, and a road was built from there to a river crossing at Newnham on Severn and port at Lydney. Weston under Penyard is a small village in Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom. Ross-on-Wye ( Welsh: Rhosan ar Wy) is a small Market town with a population of 10089 (according to the 2001 census in southeastern Herefordshire Newnham on Severn is a Village in west Gloucestershire, England. The "Dean Road" still visible at Soudley is believed to be a mediaeval rebuilding of the Roman road, and would have been an important route for the transport of iron ore and finished metal products. During Roman times there were important villas at Blakeney, Woolaston and elsewhere, and towards the end of the Roman period, around the year 370, a major temple complex dedicated to the god Nodens was completed at Lydney. Woolaston is an English Village in the Forest of Dean district of Gloucestershire in South West England. Nodens ( Nudens, Nodons) is a Celtic Deity associated with healing the sea hunting and dogs The central parts of the woodlands in the Forest are believed to have been protected for hunting since Roman times. ^[6]

The history of the area is obscure for several centuries after the end of the Roman period, though at different times it may have been part of the Welsh kingdoms of Gwent and of Ergyng, and the Beachley and Lancaut peninsulas east of the Wye remained in Welsh control at least until the 8th century. Gwent was one of the kingdoms or principalities of Mediæval Wales, in the Welsh Marches. Ergyng (or Erging) was a Welsh kingdom of the sub-Roman and early medieval period between the 5th and 7th centuries. ^[7][5] Around 790 the Saxon king Offa of Mercia built his Dyke high above the Wye, to mark the boundary with the Welsh. Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796 Offa's Dyke (Clawdd Offa is a massive linear earthwork, roughly following some of the current border between England and Wales. The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry The Forest of Dean then came under the control of the diocese of Hereford. In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. Hereford ( ˈhɛrɨfəd is a city, Civil parish and County town of Herefordshire, England. Throughout the next few centuries Vikings conducted raids up the Severn, but by the 11th century the kingdom of Wessex had established civil government in the area. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. ^[2] The core of the forest was used by the late Saxon kings, and after 1066 the Normans, as their own personal hunting ground. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria The area was kept stocked with deer and wild boar, but also became important for its timber, charcoal, iron ore and limestone. The name of the area originates at this time, probably derived from the valley near Mitcheldean, with areas known as Dene Magna (large) and Dene Parva (small). Mitcheldean is a small Town in the east of the Forest of Dean, in the County of Gloucestershire, England. The manor of Dean was the Forest's administrative centre in the late 11th century.

The Hundred of St Briavels was established in the 12th Century, at the same time as many of the Norman laws concerning the Forest of Dean were put in place. Verderers were appointed to act for the king and protect his royal rights, and local people were given some common rights. Flaxley Abbey was also built and given certain rights and privileges. Flaxley Abbey, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, was founded in 1148 by the Earl of Hereford as a Cistercian Monastery. In 1296, miners from the Hundred of St Briavels were used by King Edward I at the siege of Berwick-on-Tweed to undermine the town’s defences. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost Berwick-upon-Tweed ( ˈbɛrɪk- ( Scots: Berwick or historically South Berwick) situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost As a result, the king granted free mining rights within the forest to them and their descendants; the rights continue to the present day. Miners at that time were mainly involved in iron mining. Although the presence of coal deposits in the district was well known and limited amounts of it had been recovered in Roman times, it was not practicable to use it for iron making with the methods of smelting then in use. However, later the freeminer rights were used mainly for coal mining. ^[2]

The forest later went on to be used exclusively as a royal hunting ground by the Tudor Kings, and subsequently a source of food for the Royal Court. A royal forest is an area of land where certain rights are reserved for a Monarch or the Aristocracy, usually set aside for Hunting (see Medieval hunting The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was an English royal Dynasty that lasted 118 years from 1485 to 1603 a period known as the Tudor period Its rich deposits of iron ore led to its becoming a major source of iron. Timber from the forest was particularly fine and was regarded as the best source for building ships, and it is possible that this timber was used to build the Mary Rose and Admiral Lord Nelson's ship, the HMS Victory. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or A ship /ʃɪp/ is a large vessel that floats on water Ships are generally distinguished from Boats based on size The Mary Rose was an English Tudor Carrack warship and one of the first to be able to fire a full Broadside of cannons Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29 September 1758– 21 October 1805 was a British Construction In December 1758 the commissioner of Chatham Dockyard was instructed to prepare a Dry dock for the construction of a new First-rate

During the 18th century, squatters began to establish roughly-built hamlets around the fringes of the Crown forest demesne. By about 1800, these new settlements had become well established at places such as Berry Hill and Parkend. Parkend Station is the northern terminus of the Dean Forest Railway at present Industry in the area was transformed in the early 19th century, particularly with the growth of coal mining for the iron and steel industry. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. In the later 19th century and the early 20th the Forest was a complex industrial region, including deep coal mines and iron mines, iron and tinplate works, foundries, quarries and stone-dressing works, wood distillation works producing chemicals, a network of railways, and numerous minor tramroads. Cinderford was laid out as a planned town in the mid 19th century, but the characteristic form of settlement remained the sprawling hamlets of haphazardly placed cottages. Characteristics shared with other British coalfields, such as a devotion to sport, the central role of miners' clubs, and the formation of brass bands, also helped to create a distinct community identity. ^[2]

The last commercial iron mine in the District closed in 1946 and this was followed in 1965 by the closure of the last large colliery. ^[8] There were, and are still, a number of small private mines in operation, and Freeminers, with Hopewell colliery now open to the public. A Freeminer is the ancient title given to a Coal miner in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK who has earned the right to mine personal plots With the decline of the mines, the area itself suffered a decline, but this was ameliorated to some extent when a number of high technology industries established themselves in the area, attracted by grants and a willing workforce. High tech is Technology that is at the cutting edge —the most advanced technology currently available Grants are funds dispersed by one party (Grant Makers often a Government Department Corporation Foundation or Trust to a recipient, often (but not always

The area is still mainly an industrial area but the decline in factories has now pushed the area to create more jobs from increasing tourism attractions. Significant numbers of residents also now work outside the area, in such places as Gloucester, Bristol and Cardiff. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales.

Foresters

If born within the hundred of St Briavels, an ancient administrative area covering most of what is now considered the Forest of Dean, one is classed as a true Forester. This classification bestows a unique right for males who are over 21 and have worked in a mine for a year and a day—they can register to be a freeminer. A Freeminer is the ancient title given to a Coal miner in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK who has earned the right to mine personal plots Residents of the hundred who are over 18 can also graze sheep in the Forest. These ancient rights that were put on the statute books in the Dean Forest (Mines) Act 1838, the only public act to affect private individuals.

Nature

The forest is composed of both deciduous and evergreen trees. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round Predominant is oak, both pedunculate and sessile. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin Quercus robur (sometimes considered Q pedunculata) is commonly known as the pedunculate oak or English oak. The Sessile Oak ( Quercus petraea, or Quercus sessiliflora) also known as Durmast Oak, is a species of Oak native to most of Europe Beech is also common, and sweet chestnut has grown here for centuries. For the babyfood see Beech-Nut. Beech ( Fagus) is a genus of ten Species of Deciduous Trees in the The Sweet Chestnut ( Castanea sativa, family Fagaceae) also known as the Spanish Chestnut Portuguese Chestnut or European chestnut is a species of Chestnut Conifers include some Weymouth Pine dating from 1781, Norway spruce, douglas fir and larch. Eastern White Pine' ( Pinus strobus) is a large Pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota Norway Spruce ( Picea abies) is a species of Spruce native to Europe. Douglas-fir is the common name applied to coniferous Trees of the Genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Larches are Conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. The deer are predominantly fallow deer and these have been present in the forest since the 13th century currently numbering around 400. The Fallow Deer ( Dama dama) is a Ruminant Mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. A number of the fallow in the central area of the forest are melanistic. More recently roe deer and muntjac deer have arrived spreading in from the East but they are in much smaller numbers. The European Roe Deer ( Capreolus capreolus) is a Deer species of Europe, Asia Minor, and Caspian coastal regions Regrettably, the red squirrels are long gone, and the grey squirrels are abundant and cause much damage. The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris) is a Species of Tree squirrel ( Genus Sciurus

The Forest is also home to numerous wild boar; the exact number is currently unknown but possibly a hundred. The boar or wild boar ( Sus scrofa) is an Omnivorous, gregarious Mammal of the biological family Suidae. The boar were illegally re-introduced to the Forest in 2005. A population in the Ross on Wye area on the northern edge of the forest escaped from a wild boar farm around 1999 and are believed to be of pure Eastern European origin, a second introduction was when a domestic herd was dumped near Staunton in 2004 but these were not pure bred wild boar —attempts to locate the source of the illegal dumps have been unsuccessful. The boar can now be found in many parts of the Forest. While in the future some control may be necessary, the return of the boar is welcomed by many as a valuable addition to the national wildlife. Indeed, under its international obligations the UK government is obliged to consider the reintroduction of species made extinct through the activities of man, the wild boar included. Furthermore there is increasing evidence that wild boar enhance biodiversity by breaking up ground vegetation and have an important role in clearing bracken.

The Dean is well known for its western birds, in particular the pied flycatcher, redstart and woodwarbler. The Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca, is a small Passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family one of the four Species of Redstarts are a group of small Old World birds They were formerly classified in the thrush family ( Turdidae) but are more often now treated as part This article refers to the New World wood warbler family of birds the Parulidae Hawfinch are regularly seen. The Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes, is a Passerine Bird in the Finch family Fringillidae The mixed forest supports what is probably Britain's best concentration of goshawk; a viewing site at New Fancy is manned during February and March when the soaring birds are best seen. The Goshawk ('ɡɔːshɔːk Accipiter gentilis; from OE góshafoc 'goose-hawk' is a medium-large Bird of prey in the family Accipitridae The Peregrine Falcon can be easily seen nesting from the viewpoint at Symonds Yat rock. The Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregrinus) also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America is a The ponds in the Forest are good for mandarin duck which nest up in the trees. Butterflies of note are small pearl bordered fritillary, wood white, white admiral. Gorsty knoll is famed for its glow-worms and Woorgreens lake for its dragonflies.

Famous natives

Dick Whittington also known as Richard Whittington, who later became Lord Mayor of the City of London, was born in Pauntley, now part of the Forest of Dean district. Richard Whittington (c 1354&ndash1423 was a Medieval Merchant and Politician, and the real-life inspiration for the Pantomime character Dick Richard Whittington (c 1354&ndash1423 was a Medieval Merchant and Politician, and the real-life inspiration for the Pantomime character Dick The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of (and head of the City of London Corporation. The writer Dennis Potter was born near Coleford and frequently used the region as a setting in his work, most notably in The Singing Detective, Blue Remembered Hills and Karaoke/Cold Lazarus; the local accent and dialect can be heard at some length in the BBC productions of these shows. Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935&ndash7 June 1994 was a controversial English Dramatist, best known for The Singing Detective Coleford is a small Market town in Gloucestershire, England in the west of the Forest of Dean which has a population of 8351 (2001 census The Singing Detective is a critically acclaimed BBC Television Miniseries, written by Dennis Potter and starring Michael Blue Remembered Hills is a Television play by Dennis Potter, originally broadcast on January 30th 1979 as part of the BBC 's Play Karaoke was a British television drama written by Dennis Potter with the knowledge that he was dying from Cancer of the Pancreas. Cold Lazarus is a British television four-part drama written by Dennis Potter with the knowledge that he was dying from cancer of the pancreas The BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 DJ Jimmy Young is one of Cinderford's most famous sons, as are the early Britpop band EMF. A disc jockey (also known as DJ or deejay) is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience Sir Jimmy Young OBE, CBE (born Leslie Ronald Young, 21 September, 1921, Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Cinderford is a small Town in Gloucestershire, England, with a Population of 8116 people ( United Kingdom Census 2001) Britpop is a subgenre of Alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. EMF are an indie dance band from the United Kingdom. The band came to prominence at the end of the 1980s and the early 1990s coming from the Forest of Dean in J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, lived on the southern edge of the Forest at Tutshill from 1974 to 1983 and used the forest as a setting in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Tutshill is a small village within the parish of Tidenham in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the

Towns and Villages

Places of interest

• Beechenhurst Lodge
• Cannop Ponds
• Clearwell Caves
• Dean Forest Railway
• Dean Heritage Centre
• Hopewell Colliery
• RSPB Nagshead Nature Reserve
• Perrygrove Railway
• Puzzlewood
• The Sculpture Trail
• Speech House
• Speech House Arboretum
• Soudley Ponds
• Symond's Yat
• Tutshill

In the Media

• Heavy metal band Black Sabbath rented Clearwell Castle, located in the Forest of Dean, to write and record their fifth album, Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath in 1974. Alvington is a Village and Civil parish in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, situated on the A48 road, six Berry Hill is a small village in Gloucestershire, England not far from the town of Coleford. Blakeney is a village in Gloucestershire, England. It has views of the Forest of Dean. Bream (historically known as Breem) is a sizeable village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire. Brierley is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire at. Broadwell Gloucestershire may refer to Broadwell Forest of Dean Broadwell Cotswold Cinderford is a small Town in Gloucestershire, England, with a Population of 8116 people ( United Kingdom Census 2001) Clearwell is an ancient village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom. Coleford is a small Market town in Gloucestershire, England in the west of the Forest of Dean which has a population of 8351 (2001 census Coalway is a village in the West Forest of Dean region of Gloucestershire, England, approximately one mile south-east of the town of Coleford Drybrook is a Village in the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. Edge End is a small hamlet in west Gloucestershire, England. Location & Amenities Edge End is about 1 English Bicknor is a village and Civil parish in the Forest of Dean district of west Gloucestershire, England. Huntley, Gloucestershire, is a village on the A40 located seven miles west of Gloucester in the north of the Forest of Dean. Joy's Green is a Village in the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. Littledean or Little Dean ( is a village in west Gloucestershire, England, near the villages of West Dean and East Dean. Longhope is a Village in west Gloucestershire, situated just outside the Forest of Dean, England, United Kingdom. Lydbrook is a Civil parish in the Forest of Dean, a local government district in the English county of Gloucestershire. Lydney is a small Town and Civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. Milkwall is a Village in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. Mitcheldean is a small Town in the east of the Forest of Dean, in the County of Gloucestershire, England. Newent Gloucestershire (originally called "Noent" is a small Market town about 8 miles north west of Gloucester City, on the northern edge of the Newland ( is a village in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. Parkend is a Village in the Royal Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire and has a history dating back to the early 1800s Ruardean is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. Ruardean Hill is a Village in the English County of Gloucestershire, 20 km (12 miles west of Gloucester. Ruardean Woodside is a Village in Gloucestershire England, located in the Forest of Dean and tucked away behind Ruardean Hill and Brierley Ruspidge is a Village in west Gloucestershire, England. It is located near the town of Cinderford and near the Forest of Dean. Sedbury is a Village in the Forest of Dean district of west Gloucestershire, England. Soudley is a small but thriving Village north of Lydney, west Gloucestershire, England. Sling is a Village in Gloucestershire, England. The village is located in-between Clearwell and Bream. Steam Mills is a Village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England. The Pludds is a Village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England ( Tutshill is a small village within the parish of Tidenham in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. Westbury-on-Severn is a Rural Village in England that is the centre of the large rural parish, also called Westbury-on-Severn Whitecroft is a Village in the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. Woolaston is an English Village in the Forest of Dean district of Gloucestershire in South West England. Yorkley is a Village in west Gloucestershire, England. It is near the town of Lydney. Cannop Ponds ( are two large ponds in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire. Clearwell Caves are Iron ore mines at Clearwell in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. The Dean Forest Railway is a 425 mile long Heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire The Dean Heritage Centre is located in the pretty valley of Soudley, Gloucestershire, England in the Forest of Dean and exists to record The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB) is a British Charitable organisation which works to promote conservation and protection nature reserve ( natural reserve, nature preserve, natural preserve) is a Protected area of importance for Wildlife, flora The Perrygrove Railway is a Minimum gauge railway running on gauge track Puzzlewood is an Ancient woodland, near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail is a point of interest in the Forest of Dean in the County of Gloucestershire, England. The Speech House is the administrative building of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, lying at the centre of the forest on the road Symonds Yat is a Village within the Forest of Dean and a popular Tourist destination straddling the River Wye on the county border Tutshill is a small village within the parish of Tidenham in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. Black Sabbath are an Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is the fifth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1973. The band rehearsed in the castle dungeon for inspiration.
• In 1998 the area was on national news as it was going through a bad heroin epidemic and several young people fatally overdosed within a short period of time.
• Many TV and film projects have been filmed at Clearwell Caves, including the 2005 Christmas special of Doctor Who. Clearwell Caves are Iron ore mines at Clearwell in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC.
• In 2006, Coleford's St. John's Street was featured in a newspaper/magazine advert for the new Renault Clio. The Renault Clio is a Supermini car produced by the French automobile manufacturer Renault.
• Scenes from the 2007 film Outlaw were filmed in Coleford. 2007 saw major releases such as The Simpsons Movie, National Treasure Book of Secrets, Outlaw is a 2007 film by director Nick Love, starring Sean Bean, Danny Dyer, Bob Hoskins, Lennie James,
• The first episode of the television series Primeval featured and were filmed in the Forest of Dean. Primeval is a British Science fiction Television programme produced for ITV by Impossible Pictures.
• The novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows contains a passage that is set in the Forest of Dean. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the
• BBC Big Read 2003 Britains' favourite book winner "Lord of the Rings" was championed by the survival expert Ray Mears, who presented the book from Puzzlewood

References

External links

• Forest of Dean District Council website
• Official Forest of Dean visitor information website
• The Forester Local newspaper
• Forest of Dean at the Open Directory Project