The table below sets out dates that were important. or perhaps just interesting, in the history of the Forest of Dean.
This is an initial list and I shall continuing adding to it when time permits. If you have dates or further information you think should be here, feel free to email me. Just click "Contact Us" at the bottom of this page.
| YEAR |
EVENT |
| 50 AD |
The Romans arrive in the Forest of Dean. |
| 784-790 | King Offa of Mercia, the Saxon King, builds Offas Dyke along the east side of the River Wye to defend England from the Welsh. This borders the west side of the Forest of Dean to this day. |
| 1130 | St Briavels Castle is built to protect the King’s interest in the Forest of Dean. |
| 1143 | Milo Fitz Walter, Earl of Gloucester, is killed in 1143 by an arrow while hunting at Flaxley. |
| 1296 | Miners from the Hundred of St Briavels assist King Edward I at the siege Berwick-on-Tweed by underming the town’s defences. Subsequently the King granted them free mining rights. |
| 1620's | 3,000 acres of the Forest of Dean was disafforested as King Charles I raised money to fight Parliament. |
| 1639 | 22,000 acres of the Forest of Dean was disafforested. |
| 1641 | As in many other parts of the country, there are riots in the Forest of Dean. |
| 1642 | The English Parliament voids Sir John Winter’s claim to lands in the forest. |
| 1668 | An Act of Parliament re-establishes forest law in the Forest of Dean. |
| 1672 | The King’s ironworks are closed to protect the forest from the impact of mining. |
| 1682 | Speech House is built. |
| 1755 | The Monmouth to Chepstow route is made a turnpike passing through Redbrook, St Briavels and Tidenham Chase. |
| 1795 | Bread riots take place in the Forest of Dean. Impoverished Foresters lost their ancient rights to mining, graze their animals, hunt in the forest or remove timber. |
| 1801 | More riots take place in the Forest of Dean. Impoverished Foresters lost their ancient rights to mining, graze their animals, hunt in the forest or remove timber. |
| 1808 | The Dean Forest (Timber) Act is passed, which provids that 11,000 acres of woodland be enclosed. This is completed by 1816. |
| 1818 | David Mushet begins work on the construction of Darkhill Ironworks, where he experiements with various iron and steel processes. |
| 1822 | Bigsweir Bridge is completed, together with a toll house, to improve the Monmouth to Chepstow turnpike. |
| 1822 | Consecration of St Pauls Church, Park End. |
| 1827 | Edward Protheroe opened collieries at Ivy Moore Head, Park End Main, Park End Royal and at Birch Well. |
| 1828 | Edward Protheroe opened collieries at Ivy Moore Head, Park End Main, Park End Royal and at Birch Well. |
| 1831 | 8th June, Warren James leads more than a 100 Foresters and demolished the enclosure at Park Hill (between Parkend and Bream). He is transported to Australia. |
| 1838 | The Dean Forest (Mines) Act is passed in Parliament confirming the ancient rights of the miners by statute. |
| 1846 | Robert Forester Mushet takes over the management of Darkhill Ironworks and eventually perfects what becomes known as the Bessemer Process. |
| 1868 | Robert Forester Mushet invents tool or air-hardened steel and called in Mushet Steel. |
| 1874 | Foresters in Cinderford ransack and damage Conservative party headquarters, severely damaging it and nearby houses! |
| 1945 | Approximately 50% of the men working in the Forest of Dean are working in the coal industry. |
| 1946 | The last commercial iron mine in the Forest closes, although Freeminers continue to working small iron mines to this day. |
| 1965 | Northern United, the last large colliery, closes for the last time. |
| 1974 | 1 April. The Forest of Dean District is formed following the Local Government Act of 1972 by combining the West Dean Rural District, the East Dean Rural District,, Lydney Rural District, Newent Rural District and the parishes of Newnham and Westbury-on-Severn (formerly part of the Gloucester Rural District). |