EAN
(WEST) is an extensive township, formed out of the extra parochial
district of the Forest of Dean, under the powers of the 5 and 6
Victoria, c. 48, in Monmouth union, containing, by the census of 1861,
8254, and in 1871, 9591 inhabitants, and an area of 10,085 acres, of
which, however, only 1,318 are under cultivation; it is in the southern
division of the deanery of the Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester,
diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, hundred of St. Briavels, West
Gloucestershire. The ecclesiastical districts or parishes of Christ
Church and St. Paul's embrace the greater portion of the township, the
former including the hamlets of BERRY HILL (UPPER), BROADWELL, LANE END,
CANNOP, EDGE END, FIVE ACRES, HILLERSLAND, JOYFORD, LONK, MIREY-STOCK,
and SHORTSTANDING, containing, by the census of 1871, 1928 inhabitants,
and 3149 acres; and the latter comprising the hamlets of COALWAY LANE
END, ELLWOOD, FUTTERHILL, MOSELEY GREEN, PARKEND, PILLOWELL, WHITECROFT,
and YORKLEY, containing by the census of 1871, 3814 inhabitants and 4676
acres of land. A portion of the north-west corner of the parish is
included in the ecclesiastical district of Holy Jesus, Lydbrook. The
south-east corner, including the hamlets of OLDCROFT, YORKLEY, SLADE,
and part of VINEY HILL, is included in the ecclesiastical district of
ALL SAINTS', VINEY HILL, EAST DEAN; another portion including the
hamlets of CLEARWELL and MESNE, are included in the ecclesiastical
district of St. Peter, Clearwell.
This township, with the adjoining one of East
Dean, comprise the greater part of the Royal Forest of Dean, which from
time immemorial has been famed for its extensive Iron and Coal Mines,
and there is no doubt that they wre worked by the Romans; the Scowles
near Bream, and the Caves on Doward Hill being believed to be conclusive
evidences of the fact. The Rev. H. G. Nicholls (a former incumbent of
Holy Trinity, East Dean) in his very valuable and interesting work "The
Forest of Dean," says: - "Beyond the inference of remote antiquity,
which we naturally draw from the fact of their presenting no trace of
the use of any kind of machinery, or of gunpowder, of the display of any
mining skill, we may cite the unanimous opinion of the neighbourhood
that they owe their origin to the predecessors of that peculiar order of
operatives known as the "Free Miners of the Forest of Dean," a view
which is confirmed by the authentic history of the district. But the
numerous Roman relics found deeply buried in the prodigious
accumulations of iron cinders, once so abundant here as to have formed
an important part of the materials supplied to the furnaces of the
Forest, afford proof that the Iron Mines were in existence as early as
the commencement of the Christian era; so that the openings we now see
are the results of many centuries of mining operations, with which their
extent, number, and size perfectly accord. "There are," writes Mr.
Wyrrall, in his valuable M. S. on the ancient Iron Works of the Forest,
dated in the year 1780, "deep in the earth vast caverns, scooped out by
men's hands, and large as the aisles of churches; and on its surface are
entensive labyrinths, worked among the rocks, and now long since
over-grown with woods; which, whosoever traces them must see with
astonishment, and incline to think them to have been the work of armies
rather than of private labourer. They certainly were the toil of many
centuries, and this perhaps before they thought of searching in the
bowels of the earth for their ore - whither, however, they at length
naturally pursued the veins, as they found them to be exhausted near the
surface." Such were the remains as they existed in his day of the
original Iron Mines of this locality; and except where modern operations
have obliterated them, such they continue to the present time.
There is a difficulty in determining which is
to be considered the earliest allusion to the working of coal in the
Forest, since charcoal, as well as sea or pit coal was thus
indifferently designated; not that the latter was carried by sea, but
only that it agreed in character with the coal usually so conveyed. The
first notice seems, however, to be that supplied by the records of the
Justice Seat, held at Gloucester, in 1282, where it stated that sea coal
was claimed by six of the ten bailiffs of the Forest of Dean.
The appellation of 'Sea Coal Mine' as
distinguished from the 'Ore Mines' mentioned in the 29th section of "The
Laws and Customs of the Miners, in the Forest of Dean," compiled about
the year 1800, likewise proves that sea coal was known by name, and that
a description of fuel closely resembling it was then dug in this
neighbourhood to an extent entitling it to be noticed 'as free in all
points' with the long celebrated iron ore, that is constituting the
collier a free miner.
The original methods of getting coal in the
locality, probably conformed to the modes then used for obtaining the
iron ore, the veins of both minerals showing themselves on the surface
much in the same manner. So that it is probable the old coal workings,
like those for iron, descended only to a moderate depth, and for the
same reason were frequently carried on by driving leves, for which the
position of several of the coal seams was highly favorable.
Writing upon the subject of the Forest
Colleries, about the year 1779, Mr. Rudder remarks in his History of the
County: - "The pits are not deep, for when the miners find themselves
much incommoded with water, they sink a new one, rather than erect a
fire engine, which might answer the expense very well, yet there is not
one of them in all this division. They have indeed two or three pumps
worked by cranks, that in some measure answer the intention."
"The number of coal works in the Forest at the
close of 1856, was 221, yielding in that year to the public use upwards
of 460,432 tons."
The quantity of coal raised for the six months
ending December 31st, 1874, was 3380,869 tons, and of iron ore, for the
same period, 50,164 tons.
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BERRY HILL is a scattered hamlet, partly in
this township and partly in the parish of Newland, the latter portion
forming a suburb of the town of Coleford, and about 1 1/2 mile north
from that place. The vicarage, in the incumbancy of the Rev. William
Henry Taylor, B. A., is valued at £167 per annum, arising from land and
Queen Anne's Bounty, with residence, and is in the patronage of the
Crown. The church, dedicated to Our Saviour, was at first built and used
as a school, in 1812, being the first school erected in the Forest, but
in 1816 it was converted into a church, and was the first church
belonging to the establishment consecrated in the Forest; it is a plain
structure, consisting of nave and tower and one bell. New schools were
erected, which have accommodation for 275 children. The Primitive
Methodists have a neat chapel at Five Acres.
BREAM EAVES is a hamlet, also very much
scattered, adjoining the village of Bream, which is in Newland parish
and including Bream Green, Bream Mesne, and Bream Woodside. There are
good National Schools here, with house for the master attached. The
Bible Christians have a very commodious chapel, which was erected in
1851, and enlarged in 1859. The Primitive Methodist was built in 1858,
and the Wesleyan Chapel in 1860.
BROADWELL LANE END, COALWAY LANE END,
LITTLEDEAN LANE END, and MITCHELDEAN LANE END form a hamlet, partly in
Christ Church district, and partly in St. Paul's. There is a good
National School here, erected in 1864, with a house for the master, it
is in connection with Christ Church, and divine service is held in it
every Sunday.
ELLWOOD is a small hamlet, in which the
Primitive Methodists have just erected a neat chapel. There is also a
Mission Chapel here, in connection with St. Peter's Church, Clearwell,
in which divine service is celebrated every Sunday afternoon by the
vicar of Clearwell.
LYDBROOK is a large hamlet, partly in this
township and partly in that of East Dean, and partly in the parishes of
English-Bicknor, Newland, and Ruardean, and is given seperately.
MILKWALL is a small hamlet and Station on the
Coleford branch of the Severn and Wye Railway.
PARKEND is the most important and populous
hamlet in the township, and has a Station on the Severn and Wye Railway;
it is distant 8 1/2 miles south-east from Coleford, 4 and a half
north-west from Lydney, 14 south from Ross, and 16 north-east from
Chepstow. The vicarage, in the incumbency of the Rev. John Joseph
Ebsworth, M. A., is valued at 170 pound per annum, with residence, and
is in the patronage of the Bishop of the diocese. The church dedicated
to St. Paul, is a handsome octagonal edifice, erected in 1822; it is
built of Forest stone, and has a square tower with pinnacles, containing
a clock and one bell - it has a very picturesque appearance, being
situate on a hill. A new burial-ground in connection with the church was
opened in 1862. There are very large Iron and Tin-Plate Works here,
carried on by a Limited Liability Company, which with the Mines and
Colleries in connection therewith, give employment to about 600 hands; a
quantity of iron produced is largely used for the manufacture of
Bessemer steel rails, and best brands of tin-plates. There are three
blast furnaces, with all modern appliances, such as utilising waste gas,
&c., and capable of producing 600 tons of pig iron per week. The Iron
Ore raised in this district is of excellent quality, being a calcareous
hematite, yielding from 80 to 40 percent metallic iron. At the Tim-plate
department there are facilities for producing from 700 to 800 boxes of
tin plates of the best quality. There is a National School for children
of both sexes, with residence, which is partly supported by an annual
grant from the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and partly by
contributions. The Baptists have a chapel, built in 1869, of Forest
stone, and capable of holding about 250 persons. The Wesleyans also have
a place of worship here. The Independents have a small chapel at Moseley
Green, and the Primitive Methodists one at Coalway Lane End.
VINEY HILL is a small hamlet, partly in this
township and partly in East Dean, in which the Primitive Methodists have
a small place of worship. The church and schools are in the East Dean
portion of the hamlet.
WHITECROFT is a hamlet with a Station on the
Severn and Wye Railway, 5 miles from Coleford, and 8 miles from Lydney.
There are Collieries, Chemical Works, Stone Quarries, and a Patent Fuel
Manufactory here. The Wesleyans have a place of worship here, which was
erected in 1874.
YORKLEY is a somewhat populous hamlet, 5 miles
from Coleford, and 3 from Lydney, the houses of which lie scattered on
the side of a hill in very irregular order. The Baptists have a chapel
here, which was erected in 1868. The Primitive Methodists have also a
small place of worship, and the Bible Christians have a Chapel at
Yorkley Slade. The rateable value of this parish is £22,320.
