| The gale at Hopewell was held in 1822 to James and Robert Morrell. It appears that Thomas and James Bennett were leasing the gale when applied to erect a steam engine at the "Hope-Well Pit" for winding purposes only. The miners were mining the Coleford High Delf at a depth of about 46 yards deep.
Initially the coal was moved using the Severn and Wye tramroad. Between 1841 and 1846 35,132 tons of coal were extracted under the names of the Morrells.In 1863 when rails were laid to connect to the Severn and Wye Railway (Coleford Branch). 4330 tons of coal were mined here during 1880. In 1889 the Severn and Wye Railway Company complained that mine works here were causing damage to their rail line. By 1913 the colliery was under the ownership of the Parkend Naviagtion Collieries Company Limited. Hopewell Colliery Museum and Working Mine was opened in 1997 and is now a tourist attraction lying 2 miles west of Coldford on Speech House Road. It is well worth a visit!
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