The core of the constituency consists of the Royal Forest of Dean itself, which was established by William the Conqueror nearly a thousand years ago and is one of the last surviving Royal Forests in England. The ‘Queen of Forests’, as it used to be known, for centuries acted as a hunting reserve for English monarchs, and many of the Dean’s ancient rights and privileges come from this unique heritage.
The area has a rich industrial and mining history, which is evidenced by the market towns of Coleford and Cinderford, and the old port of Lydney from where coal mined in the Forest would start its journey to all parts of the world. The Dean’s rich industrial heritage and spectacular natural beauty unsurprisingly means tourism is an increasingly important aspect of Forest life.
The river Severn marks the eastern boundary of the constituency and is renowned for its tidal ‘bore’, the second largest tidal wave in the world behind the Amazon, which regularly travels up the estuary as far as Gloucester.
The Wye Valley forms the western border of the Forest and is an area of outstanding natural beauty, whilst the Vale of Leadon forms the northern portion of the constituency. The Vale consists of quintessentially unspoilt English countryside with rolling farmland centred around the picturesque Roman town of Newent, and also produces fine English wine.
The Forest of Dean is a great place to visit, with a wide variety of activities and events for all to enjoy. To find out more about what the Forest of Dean has to offer, visit http://www.visitforestofdean.co.ukPlease feel free to add suggestions to this page. Contact me using the link on the left.
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