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The Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean

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Chapter 1 No.1

Word Count: 2680    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

1307–

-The constables of St. Briavel's and wardens of the Forest-Date of the ruins of St. Briavel's Castle-Iron forges licensed by Henry III.-Perambulation of 1282, and first "Justice seat"-Seventy-two "itinerant forges" in the Forest-Date of Miners' laws and privileges-Perambulation of 1302-Edward I., grants in the Forest-Newland Church founded-Free miners summoned to the sieges of Berwick, &c.-Edward II., grants in the Fo

signifying a dale or den?-or do we accept the statement of Giraldus, and some other writers, that the Forest of Dean obtained its name from the Danes sheltering themselves in it, secured by its shades and thickets from the retaliation of the neighbouring people, whose country they had devastated?-Or, again, do we "fancy," with Camden, that "by cutting off a syllable it is derived from

ion of the structure of the rock, and particularly of the character of its base, will show that its position is natural. But that the Druids had appropriated it to sacrificial purposes, is evident from a rudely hollowed stone which lies adjacent. In shape "the Buck Stone" is almost flat on the top, and four-sided, the north-east side measuring sixteen feet five inches, the north seventeen feet, the south-west nine feet, and the south side twelve feet. The face of the rock on which it rests slopes considerably, and the bearing point is only two feet across. This part may be an unbroken

Briavel's, named "the Long Stone." Another, called by the same name, and of similar character, occurs on the north-east side of the Staunton and Coleford road; but n

sive on this head. He states:-"Coins, fibula, and other things known to be in use with that people (the Romans), have been frequently found in the beds of cinders at certain places: this has occurred particularly at the village of Whitchurch, between Ross and Monmouth, where large stacks of cinders have been found, and some of them so deep in the earth, eight or ten feet under the surface, as to demonstrate without other proof that they must have lain there for a great number of ages. The present writer has had opportunities of seei

mentioned; remains of Ariconium, a town, it seems, of blacksmiths, at Bollitree; a camp, bath, and tessellated pavement at Lydney; and coins to a large amount, indi

ve Roman coins. The next day, in another heap about fifty yards distant, he found a broken jar or urn of baked clay, and 400 or 500 coins lying by it, the coins being for the most part those of Claudius II., Gallienus, and Victorinus. The spot is rather high ground, but not a hill or commanding point, and there

m, Mr. Wright, in his interesting work entitled 'Wanderings of an Antiquary,' mentions several Roman coins, especially one of the Empero

e connected with the incident which the Chronicles of Florentius Vigorniensis relate as taking place a.d. 912:-"The Pagan pirates, who nearly nineteen years before had retired from Britain, approaching by the province of Gaul, called Lydivinum, return with two leaders, Ohterus and Hroaldus, to England, and, sailing round West Saxonia and Cornubia, at length reach the mouth of the river Sabrina (Severn), and, without delay, invade the northern lands of the British, and, exploring all the parts adjoining the bank of the river, pillage most of them. Cymelgeac, a British bishop who occupied the plains of Yrcenefeld (Archenfield), was likewise taken; and they, not a little rejoicing, carry him off to their ships, whom, not long after, King Edward ransomed

tershire,' remarks that "originally all the lands of the subject are derived from the Crown, and our forests may have been made when the ancient kings had the greater part in their own hands." Agreeably with which principle, combined with the attractions which the Forest of Dean possessed as a hunting ground, it was sometimes visited for the sports of the chase by William the Conqueror, who in the year 1069 was thus diverting himself when he received information that the Danes had invaded Yorkshire and taken its chief city. Roused to fury by these tidings, he swore "by the splendour of the Almighty" that "not one Northumbrian should escape his revenge;

but, extensive as its ruins still are, they seem to contain no trace of so early a period. The only vestige of that age is seen in the Parish Church, which stands opposite the north entrance of the castle. Henry created Fitz-Walter Earl of Hereford, and committed th

precarious, the Forest itself being continually exposed to danger by its proximity to the Welsh border. Mahel was this lady's youngest brother, of whom Camden records that "the judgment of God overtook him for his rapacious ways, inhumane cruelties, and boundless avarice, always usurping other men's rights. For, being courteously treated at the Castle of St. Briavel's by Walter de Clifford, the castle taking fire, he lost his life by the

irmed by Henry II., who further enriched it by granting permission to the monks to feed their cattle, hogs, &c., in the Forest, repair their buildings with its timber, and have an iron-forge there. In course of years the Fitz-Herbert interest in the Forest and Castle of St. Briavel's, passing

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1 Chapter 1 No.12 Chapter 2 No.23 Chapter 3 47 4 Chapter 4 No.45 Chapter 5 19 6 Chapter 6 21 7 Chapter 7 27 8 Chapter 8 29 9 Chapter 9 No.910 Chapter 10 2 11 Chapter 11 15 12 Chapter 12 18 13 Chapter 13 No.1314 Chapter 14 No.1415 Chapter 15 No.1516 Chapter 16 38 17 Chapter 17 No.1718 Chapter 18 No.1819 Chapter 19 No.1920 Chapter 20 No.2021 Chapter 21 No.2122 Chapter 22 9 23 Chapter 23 No.2324 Chapter 24 27 No.2425 Chapter 25 No.2526 Chapter 26 54 27 Chapter 27 028 Chapter 28 No.2829 Chapter 29 No.2930 Chapter 30 No.3031 Chapter 31 No.3132 Chapter 32 No.3233 Chapter 33 No.3334 Chapter 34 No.3435 Chapter 35 No.3536 Chapter 36 No.3637 Chapter 37 No.3738 Chapter 38 No.3839 Chapter 39 0 No.3940 Chapter 40 No.4041 Chapter 41 0 No.4142 Chapter 42 ---43 Chapter 43 No.4344 Chapter 44 No.4445 Chapter 45 No.4546 Chapter 46 No.4647 Chapter 47 No.4748 Chapter 48 0 No.4849 Chapter 49 No.4950 Chapter 50 No.5051 Chapter 51 No.5152 Chapter 52 No.5253 Chapter 53 No.5354 Chapter 54 No.5455 Chapter 55 No.5556 Chapter 56 No.5657 Chapter 57 No.5758 Chapter 58 No.5859 Chapter 59 0 No.5960 Chapter 60 No.6061 Chapter 61 0 No.6162 Chapter 62 No.6263 Chapter 63 No.6364 Chapter 64 No.6465 Chapter 65 0 No.6566 Chapter 66 No.6667 Chapter 67 0 No.6768 Chapter 68 No.6869 Chapter 69 No.6970 Chapter 70 0 No.7071 Chapter 71 No.7172 Chapter 72 0 No.7273 Chapter 73 No.7374 Chapter 74 No.7475 Chapter 75 0 No.7576 Chapter 76 No.7677 Chapter 77 No.7778 Chapter 78 No.7879 Chapter 79 No.7980 Chapter 80 No.8081 Chapter 81 ------82 Chapter 82 No.8283 Chapter 83 ------ No.8384 Chapter 84 No.8485 Chapter 85 0 No.8586 Chapter 86 No.8687 Chapter 87 0 No.8788 Chapter 88 0 No.8889 Chapter 89 0 No.8990 Chapter 90 No.9091 Chapter 91 No.9192 Chapter 92 0 No.9293 Chapter 93 No.9394 Chapter 94 No.9495 Chapter 95 --- No.9596 Chapter 96 0 No.9697 Chapter 97 9 98 Chapter 98 No.9899 Chapter 99 No.99100 Chapter 100 0 No.100