Part 3 - Exercise 3.5 - Local History

Exercise 3.5 - Local History

Using the internet, local library, museum or any other resources at your disposal, conduct 

a short investigation into a historical aspect of the area in which you live or are currently 

based. This could relate to industry or other narratives in the distant past, or a more recent 

event.

I live in Lydbrook, in the Forest of Dean which has an amazing history that is probably unknown by most. Wikipedia quotes the following:

“Lydbrook is a civil parish in the Forest of Dean, a local government district in the English county of Gloucestershire. It is situated on the north west edge of the Forest of Dean's present legal boundary proper. It comprises the districts of Lower Lydbrook, Upper Lydbrook, Joys Green and Worrall Hill. It has a mile and a half long main street, reputed to be the longest main street of any village in England.

The region now structuring the present town of Lydbrook has been possessed all through history. Antiques from Hangerberry and Eastbach on the south west corner of the area, and Lower Lydbrook show proof of broad movement from the Mesolithic period (Middle Stone Age 10,000 - 4000 BC) to the present. Rock / stone instruments from encompassing fields affirm that the range was possessed and cultivated for more than 4,000 years.

Lydbrook was inhabited by the Romans as there is evidence of a Roman homestead along Proberts Barn Lane, Lower Lydbrook. The timber building detected on the site may date from the 1st Century AD. A later building was constructed with stone walls. This building was still inhabited in the 4th century. The site was also a farming and agricultural centre in the Roman period. There is also evidence of Roman activity at Hangerberry with traces of a Roman pavement. We know that a Roman road came from Ruardean through Lower Lydbrook (tracing the Wye) to English Bicknor. A further ancient road existed between Joys Green and English Bicknor via Bell Hill. Traces of a Roman Road also exist from Worrall Hill to Edge End. These Roman track ways show evidence of following the course of previous prehistoric paths. In 1881 it was reported that a large quantity of Roman coins were found at Lower Lydbrook. Recent archaeological excavations by the Dean Archaeological Group in and around Lydbrook have recovered further coins from the Roman period, as well as other artefacts pre-dating and post dating this period.

"Lydbrook". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 Aug. 2016.

In fact the history of Lydbrook is enormous and much to vast to cover in detail within this exercise. Coal mining and iron ore mining has been a large industry in the Forest of Dean and its location to the River Wye an important factor for the growth of these historic industries.

Later railways allowed industries to grow further and an historic viaduct construction took place in 1872 enabling local railway lines to connect to the bigger Ross on Wye and Monmouth line.

An uncredited photograph of the viaduct

  

Eric Bottomley’s painting of a train on the Lydbrook Viaduct

The construction was dismantled in 1965 as it was deemed un-safe so there is little left of of a construction which would have had a significant impact on the landscape.

Like many collieries of the time they experienced tragedy and loss of life through incidents where men are working underground. 

This is the "Roll of Honour" sculpture at New Fancy which commemorates miners killed or injured working in mines or quarries within the Forest Of Dean.

However there are also some stories of rescues. A common problem with many mines, especially those in the Forest of Dean, is Geology and mining in the coalfield has always been hampered by the excessive amount of water encountered underground - trapped by the basin-shaped strata. 

On the 30th June 1949 a breach was made into a neighboring tunnel filled with water at the Arthur and Edward Colliery and the tunnel become flooded threatening the lives of nearly 200 men trapped underground. Thanks to Harry Toomer, who later received the British Empire medal for his deeds, these men were rescued. However 5 men remained trapped. Fortunately an old mine shift of the Plud Colliery shaft had been recently re-opened as a ventilation shaft. The trapped men had to make their way slowly to this shaft .At the top the rescue team built an A-Frame fitted with a winch and was able to rescue these 5 men.
"Forest Of Dean". Way-mark.co.uk. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 Aug. 2016.

The Pludds as they are locally known are some hills and these are very close to my home location. I have managed to track down the exact location of this rescue mine shaft whilst out walking in the woods / hills close to me and am pleased and also surprised that a plaque had been established and the old mine shaft still present but capped with a concrete cover

The brief of 300 words which I have exceeded is too small to cover this subject in any depth. Instead I have researched a high level overview of my current home location, established some insight into local industry and how this resulted in perhaps the sublime of the viaduct construction formed part of the beauty of the local landscape. Whilst the viaduct itself has gone as has the mining industry it was good to see an historic reminder of a happy event of the past.

If this was the subject of Assignment 3 then I think I would have researched a specific mine that I could get access to and take a number of images above and below ground and tried express through images what life may have been like working underground. Of course for visitors to get in then its been made very safe unlike the original working conditions. There will be remnants of the mining industry and photographs of evidence or perhaps lack of evidence as time has progressed and the landscape has changed as a result (the viaduct a good example) would have been interesting.