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Mining & The Forest of Dean
Project attracts international interest
Training for CD project
Visit to Old Ham Mine
Miners Memorial Unveiled at New Fancy
Freeminers of the Forest
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Mining & The Forest of Dean
Location: Gloucestershire
The Forest of Dean, high wooded ground located between the Rivers Severn and Wye in Gloucestershire, is one of the oldest forests in the UK. William the Conqueror established the royal hunting tradition, and although hunting does not continue today, the Forest is still a national asset, in the care today of Forest Enterprise.
The origins of coal mining in the Forest of Dean are lost in antiquity. The industry was probably established on a small scale in Roman times, and grew in importance over the centuries. The activities of the miners were regulated for many years by the Court of Mine Law which sat at the Speech House, a unique building which is today a hotel, located in the heart of the Forest. The Gaveller and in latter times his Deputy were responsible for leasing on behalf of the Crown, gales (areas allocated for mining). The industry expanded even more rapidly early in the 19th century, when some of the earliest tramroads in the UK were built to help transport the coal to local ports.
There has always been a tradition of independence in the Forest area, which by and large resulted in a great number of smaller and therefore not necessarily economically successful mines. In 1904 the Gaveller oversaw a period of amalgamation of mines, this changed the economic basis, and allowed deeper bigger mines to be sunk. During many years of the 20th century, total output from the coalfield rarely fell below 1,000,000 tons of coal annually.
The economic importance of coal mining to the area is shown by the fact that even as late as 1945 half of the male working population of the Forest area worked in the coal industry. However after the Second World War increased pumping costs and other factors made the coalfield less economic and the last big pit (Northern United) closed in 1965.
Today the Deputy Gaveller still has a role in administering the small number number of Free Miners who continue the tradition of mining in the Forest area.
The photographs on this page demonstrate the natural beauty of the Forest of Dean area, in contrast to the industrial nature of the original coal and quarrying industries.
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