69-615: Dilwyn is a village in Herefordshire , England located about 18 km (11 mi) from the city of Hereford and 9 km (6 mi) from its nearest town, Leominster . It is situated on the northern edge of a broad valley that stretches from the River Wye through to Leominster. Running through the valley, south of the village, is the Stretford Brook whilst to the north are the rivers Arrow and Lugg . Dilwyn civil parish includes
138-472: A Crest on a wreath of the colours a demi lion rampant gules holding in the sinister claw a fleece or; and for Supporters, on the dexter side a lion guardant or gorged with a wreath of hops fructed proper and on the sinister a talbot argent gorged with a collar or charged with three apples proper. The red colouring ("gules") of the shield is taken from the arms of the City of Hereford. The red colour also represents
207-399: A unitary authority on 1 April 1998, combining county and district functions into a single council. Herefordshire is also commonly called a unitary district , but this is not official nomenclature. Herefordshire is officially known as a unitary authority for local government purposes. It is governed by Herefordshire Council which was created in 1998 with the new unitary district that absorbed
276-481: A (smaller) district within the new two-tier county of Worcestershire. The Lieutenancies Act 1997 made Herefordshire a ceremonial county , covering the exact area of the unitary district. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG11) and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region. In Herefordshire, the population size has increased by 2.0%, from around 183,500 in 2011 to 187,100 in 2021. This
345-539: A 72-kilometre (45 mi) stretch of the river, from just south of Hereford to Chepstow in the counties of Gloucestershire , Herefordshire and Monmouthshire . In addition to its landscape value, the area is recognised in for its wildlife, archaeological and industrial remains. The varied landscapes of the Wye Valley can be explained by underlying rocks and structures, and how ice and then the river and tributary streams have acted upon them through time. Close to Hereford,
414-459: A Poem in Four Books' providing account of an 1807 trip made by him and a party of friends down the River Wye and surrounding areas. The first of Britain's great landscapes to be 'discovered', the Wye Valley's particular attraction was its river scenery, and the many guidebooks, engravings and paintings ensured a continuing steady stream of visitors. Viewpoints were specially constructed, including
483-796: A fashionable way to decorate houses. At Redbrook , copper works were established by 1691, and a century later the village became one of the world's major tinplate manufacturing centres. This industry survived until the 1960s and was renowned for producing the thinnest, highest quality plate in the world. The Lydbrook valley was also a thriving centre for metal industries, such as the manufacture of telegraph cables. The valley woodlands were carefully managed to produce mature trees for shipbuilding , or by coppicing for charcoal , and to provide bark for tanning . The valley industries were also massive consumers of timber. A ship of 150 tons, for example, required 3,000 wagonloads of timber to complete – and in 1824, 13 ships were launched at Brockweir alone. The river
552-428: A few other key factors: The previously pastoral soils had not had potatoes grown in them; consequently they were not infected with eelworm ( Heterodera rostochiensis and Heterodera pallida ), which in the east of England had to be sprayed against weekly (a large cost). Also, the clay soil produced an unblemished potato of the highest grade. The intensive nature of the crop meant that potatoes could be grown viably on
621-417: A given field in only one of every five years. Because potato growers always needed more land than they owned, they rented extra. This demand for rental fields came at a time when the rest of the industry was struggling and in serious decline. The potato farmers' rents of £300–500 per acre (as opposed to normally £80 per acre) were very helpful to many farmers in a difficult period. Herefordshire County Council
690-804: A green apple. The county is covered by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central from its studios in Birmingham . Television signals are received from the Ridge Hill TV transmitter located 8.5 miles south east of Hereford . BBC Local Radio the for county is served by BBC Hereford and Worcester which broadcast from Worcester but also has another studio in Hereford . County-wide radio stations are Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire , Sunshine Radio , Radio Wyvern , Capital Mid-Counties , and Greatest Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire . Wye Valley The Wye Valley ( Welsh : Dyffryn Gwy )
759-564: A landscape of hills and plains, as well as substantial meanders which have formed impressive river cliffs. The Lower Wye landscape was formed by the river acting on a series of layers of rock that dip towards the Forest of Dean . Here the river has incised into the margins of the Old Red Sandstone plateau to form a gorge with substantial river cliffs. The steepest parts of the Wye gorge are cut through
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#1732858891285828-453: A large site directly north of Painter Brothers. Cargill Meats Europe (formerly Sun Valley) have a large poultry meat processing facility, processing chickens from around Herefordshire. Cadbury (Mondelēz International) make milk chocolate crumb near Marlbrook (near Leominster ). Weston's Cider is in Much Marcle , who also make Stowford Press. Wye Fruit Ltd is in the north of Ledbury on
897-475: A major issue in the county, as some people see them as a "blot on the landscape". Although some polytunnel sites are illegal, Herefordshire Council has turned a blind eye in the belief that agriculture must be allowed to innovate; otherwise it will stagnate and the county will suffer. Previously, most farms in the county had dairy cattle . Due to the cost of investing in new equipment, long hours, BSE , foot-and-mouth disease and mainly falling milk prices,
966-523: A number of other small Roman settlements are known. The first evidence of the exploitation of iron and coal in the valley is found in the Roman period, with iron working known from sites at Monmouth , Trellech and elsewhere, as well as in the adjoining Forest of Dean . The medieval boroughs of Goodrich and Chepstow, at each end of the Wye Gorge, may have originally been established at this time. Closely following
1035-424: Is Sebastian Bowen and the leader of the council is David Hitchiner. The cabinet leader is appointed yearly by the full council of 53 councillors. The cabinet leader then picks their deputy and up to eight other councillors to form the executive cabinet. Each cabinet member makes the decisions about the portfolio that they are allocated. Elections to the council are held every four years. Elections are conducted under
1104-527: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Herefordshire Herefordshire ( / ˈ h ɛr ɪ f ər d ʃ ɪər , - ʃ ər / HERR -if-ərd-sheer, -shər ) is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire and Powys to
1173-563: Is a unitary authority area. The centre of Herefordshire is lowland which is crossed by the River Wye and its tributary, the Lugg . To the east are the Malvern Hills , a national landscape , which straddle the boundary with Worcestershire. The south of the county contains the northern part of the Wye Valley , also a national landscape, which stretches into Wales . In the west, the ground rises to
1242-686: Is a valley in Wales and England . The River Wye ( Welsh : Afon Gwy ) is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The upper part of the valley is in the Cambrian Mountains and is enclosed by hills as it descends through Rhayader , Builth Wells and Hay-on-Wye before reaching the England-Wales border and becoming a broader vale through Hereford . The lower part of the valley meanders past Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth , where it becomes
1311-513: Is lower than the overall increase for England (6.6%), where the population grew by nearly 3.5 million to 56,489,800. As of the 2021 census, 91.1% of the population identified as 'White British', and 5.1% as 'White Other'. The 'White Other' group is largely made up of migrants from central and Eastern Europe who began moving into the county in the early 2000's, initially for agricultural work, but more recently to work in other sectors such as health care, catering and hospitality. Poland and Romania are
1380-425: Is one of a knight from circa 1320. There is a damaged cement or composition of a kneeling couple from the late 15th century under canopies; the damage is modern. The churchyard contains Commonwealth war graves of a Royal Navy seaman and a Royal Garrison Artillery soldier of World War I . Dilwyn is in the popular tourist area of north-west Herefordshire and is on the black and white village trail. The village,
1449-453: Is the fourth-longest in the United Kingdom, enters the county after briefly being its border with Powys . It flows through both Hereford and Ross-on-Wye before returning to Wales. Leominster is situated on the River Lugg , a tributary of the Wye. There are two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the county. The Wye Valley is located in the river's valleys south of Hereford, while
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#17328588912851518-419: Is the gift of God"). As part of a competition organised by the charity Plantlife to raise awareness of conservation issues, the public were asked to vote for " county flowers " that they felt best represented their county. Mistletoe was announced as the winning choice for Herefordshire in 2004. The emblem has no official status and has not been widely adopted. Herefordshire Council uses a logo consisting of
1587-593: The Black Mountains range; this contains the Black Mountain ( Twyn Llech ), which lies on the Powys border and is the highest point in the county, at 703.6 metres (2,308 ft). The county is situated in the historic Welsh Marches . The land use is mostly agricultural, and the county is known for its fruit and cider production, and for the Hereford cattle breed. The River Wye , which at 135 miles (217 km)
1656-567: The Bronze Age . Later, Iron Age forts along the lower Wye Valley, and in the Woolhope area, took advantage of the natural hilltops and promontories to form well-defended settlements. It is likely that many of these marked the edges of disputed tribal pre-Roman territories. Watling Street ran through the Roman settlements of Ariconium (just north of modern Ross-on-Wye ) and Blestium (Monmouth), and
1725-519: The Carboniferous Limestone . Here the combined action of the river, natural joints in the rocks and quarrying have exposed many vertical faces, particularly between Tintern and Chepstow. Geological interest extends underground, and there are many rock shelters and solution caves in the area. These include King Arthur's Cave and many others in the area of Symonds Yat and Slaughter Stream Cave near Berry Hill. At St Arvans , near Chepstow,
1794-551: The FPTP system with the 53 wards returning one councillor each. Elections have been held in 2000 , 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019, with the next election due in 2023. In the 2019 election, the Conservatives lost control of Herefordshire Council. Herefordshire has a comprehensive education system that also includes several independent schools. Most state secondary schools are for ages 11–16. Providers of further and higher education in
1863-523: The Malvern Hills are in the east of the county, along its border with Worcestershire . Herefordshire is one of the 39 historic counties of England . Herefordshire County Council was created in 1889. In 1974, the administrative county formed in 1889 was merged with that of neighbouring Worcestershire to form Hereford and Worcester. Within this, Herefordshire was covered by the local government districts of South Herefordshire , Hereford , and part of Malvern Hills and Leominster districts. However,
1932-429: The polytunnel or French tunnel. This allows the strawberries to be grown for a far longer season and with a higher quality (with no blemishes from the rain). The strawberries are mainly picked by Eastern European workers who come over for the season and often earn more money than they could working in their own country and with the bonus, for many of them, of learning or improving their English. The polytunnels have been
2001-422: The 18th century. The earliest known appreciation of the area's spectacular beauty can be dated to the beginning of the century, when John Kyrle developed the 'Prospect' at Ross-on-Wye , and it was later mentioned in verse by Alexander Pope . In 1745, John Egerton , later Bishop of Durham , started taking friends on boat trips down the valley from the rectory at Ross. The area became more widely known following
2070-529: The 2021 census, they number 600 people, at around 0.2% of the county's population. Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers fall within the definition of a minority ethnic group under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) . There were approximately 400 people (0.2%) within this minority group in the county at the 2011 Census. Bulmers Cider in Hereford is the world's largest cider factory, and has
2139-510: The AONB enlists a range of partners in conserving and enhancing its beauty for the benefit of present and future generations. The area is predominantly rural, and many people make a living from tourism, agriculture or forestry. Ross-on-Wye is the only town within the National Landscape itself, but Hereford, Monmouth, Coleford and Chepstow lie just outside its boundaries. In 2023, all AONBs in
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2208-510: The B4214 and is a large site of Amcor , and further west is Universal Beverages (UBL), owned by Heineken since 2007 where it cans cider. The site of Ledbury Preserves of RHM made Robertson's jam, mincemeat and marmalade and closed in 2008 when production moved to Cambridgeshire. Holden Aluminium Technologies are a sports car chassis manufacturer at Linton . Kingspan Insulation is based at Pembridge . BT's Madley Communications Centre , claims to be
2277-719: The England-Wales border, before reaching the Severn Estuary at Chepstow . Much of this section features limestone gorge scenery and dense native woodlands, which made the Wye Valley historically important as one of the birthplaces of the modern tourism industry. The lower part of the valley is designated as the Wye Valley National Landscape , an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , protected as an internationally important landscape. This designation covers covers 326 square kilometres (126 sq mi) surrounding
2346-570: The Kymin above Monmouth , with its round house giving panoramic views across the town. Another highlight for travellers was the cliff ascent and walks at Piercefield . However, most of the truly 'Picturesque' scenes were sketched from river level, with the shimmering water as the foreground for the forests and cliffs behind, and the castle and abbey ruins. In 1813 the Monmouth Tramroad linked Coalway (near Coleford ), Redbrook and Monmouth . This
2415-750: The River Wye, Offa's Dyke was built in the 8th century under King Offa to mark out the boundary between England and Wales and is, today, the longest archaeological monument in Britain. Offa's Dyke Path long distance footpath today traces the route through the Wye valley on the English bank, while the Wye Valley Walk follows the Welsh bank. When the Normans conquered the region in the 11th century they immediately built major castles at Chepstow and Monmouth to defend
2484-652: The UK market leader Strongbow . The major settlements in the county include Hereford , which is the county town and Herefordshire's only city , as well as the towns of Leominster , Ledbury , Ross-on-Wye , Kington and Bromyard . Most employment in Herefordshire is in agriculture, manufacturing and services. According to Herefordshire Council's online document "worklessness", 10% of people are unemployed in Herefordshire including out-of-work, homeless, ill and disabled and their carers. Cargill Meats and H. P. Bulmers are two of
2553-540: The Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Sites ( Safleoedd Ystlumod Dyffryn Gwy a Fforest y Ddena ) and the Wye Valley Woodlands ( Coetiroedd Dyffryn Gwy ). It supports a population of lesser horseshoe bats , a growing population of peregrine falcons , goshawks , ravens , rare whitebeam , nightjar and lesser known fish like the shad and twaite. The main Welsh populations of the small but colourful moth Oecophora bractella are found here. In September 2006 it
2622-466: The area's distinctive qualities, for the benefit of present and future generations. Administratively the area is very complex, being the only protected landscape to straddle the border between England and Wales. The counties of Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire are each in a different government region. Co-ordination of conservation across these political boundaries is undertaken by an AONB unit and Joint Advisory Committee. A Management Plan for
2691-410: The club's Edgar Street ground before major matches. The county is famous for its apple and pear orchards, and its cider. There are many orchards around the county but not as many as there once were. In the last few years, soft fruits such as strawberries have become a new and rapidly expanding area of the agricultural economy of the county. One of the main reasons for this was the introduction of
2760-492: The county include Hereford College of Arts , Hereford College of Education , Hereford Sixth Form College , Herefordshire and Ludlow College , Royal National College for the Blind , NMITE and Herefordshire and Worcestershire Group Training Association (HWGTA). The agricultural economy has changed greatly in recent years within the county. The county is on the western edge of England which has been historically pastoral as opposed to
2829-413: The county was dissolved in 1998, resulting in the return of Herefordshire and Worcestershire as counties. The county and unitary authority created in 1998 has almost identical borders to the pre-1974 county; a small area at Park Wood had been transferred from Mathon to West Malvern in 1986 and so went to Worcestershire rather than Herefordshire in 1998, but otherwise the re-established border between
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2898-462: The county's milk production has drastically reduced, with only a few farms still in dairy farming. The county is historically pastoral. The soils are mostly clay, meaning that large scale potato production was very difficult, as tractors were not powerful enough to pull the large machinery required to harvest the crop. Around the early 1990s new technology and more powerful machines overcame this problem. Potato production started to increase, fuelled by
2967-461: The east which was more arable . Probably Hereford's most famous export is its Hereford beef cattle . Herefords are docile but extremely hardy creatures and these attributes have led to their proliferation across the world, particularly the US, Canada, South America and Australia. The breed is so gentle that a Hereford bull was used as the mascot for Hereford United Football Club for many years, led around
3036-491: The geology of the area around the village of Woolhope is largely made up of Silurian limestones , shales and sandstones . To the south of this, the Herefordshire lowlands are largely underlain by red mudstones and sandstones , producing a redder soil. These rocks are softer than the limestones elsewhere, so the river created more meanders , a wider floodplain , and a gentler and more rolling landscape. Around Symonds Yat , limestones and red sandstones meet. This leads to
3105-407: The hamlets of Sollers Dilwyn, Little Dilwyn, The Haven, Hill Top, The Hurst, Headland, Bearton, Bidney, Henwood, Stockmoor and Stockingfield amongst others. There are over 200 dwellings spread throughout the 6,400 acres (26 km) of the parish. The population in 2001 was 758. The 12th-century village church of St Mary is a grade I listed building. It was realigned from the original Norman setting,
3174-646: The largest private sector employers, with the Council and NHS being the largest public sector employers. There are two parliamentary constituencies in Herefordshire. As of July 2024 , Ellie Chowns , a member of the Green Party , represents North Herefordshire and Jesse Norman , a member of the Conservative Party , represents Hereford and South Herefordshire . The council operates a cabinet-style council and has been independently controlled since 2019. The chairman
3243-451: The most famous poets, writers and artists of the day made the pilgrimage to the great sights of Goodrich, Tintern and Chepstow – among them Coleridge , Thackeray and Turner . Wordsworth was also captivated by the area, writing Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey in 1798. Poetic influence continued to be felt in the next century, as in 1811, popular 'peasant poet', Robert Bloomfield wrote 'The Banks of Wye;
3312-553: The nationally important Lower Wye Gorge SSSI and within the Wye Valley National Landscape . The Wye Valley is important for its rich wildlife habitats including ancient gorge woodland, saltmarsh and limestone cliffs. The area has three sites of international importance, designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the European Union 's Habitats Directive . These are the River Wye ( Afon Gwy ),
3381-453: The night of the harvest moon. The line closed to passengers in 1959, although sections remain as bridleways and footbridges. There are now main line railway stations at Hereford and Chepstow . The road network in the lower Wye valley remained essentially undeveloped during the rise of the Valley's industrialisation, until a series of Turnpike trusts were authorised during the 18th century. It
3450-532: The previous administrative areas of Hereford City Council, South Herefordshire District Council, most of Leominster District Council, and part of Malvern Hills District Council , all within the previous non-metropolitan county of Hereford and Worcester, whose functions the new authority inherited within its area. The remainder of Malvern Hills district absorbed the Worcestershire part of Leominster district (the area around Tenbury Wells) and continued to constitute
3519-486: The publication of works by the poet Thomas Gray , and, in particular, Observations on the River Wye by the Reverend William Gilpin , published in 1782. The first illustrated tour guide to be published in Britain, it helped travellers locate and enjoy the most " Picturesque " aspects of the countryside. Regular excursions began to be established from Ross, the boat journey to Chepstow taking two days. Some of
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#17328588912853588-532: The raw materials and finished product, and with the introduction of the blast furnace in the 16th century, its tributaries began to be used for water power. The first brass made in Britain was founded at Tintern in 1566. Wire -making followed, with water mills situated on all the tributaries of the lower Wye. The area resounded to the noise and smoke of heavy industry for the next 400 years and gave rise to many pioneering industries. For instance, Whitebrook became famous for paper milling, when wallpaper became
3657-563: The red earth of Herefordshire. The silver and blue wave across the centre of the shield represents the River Wye. The lions that form parts of the arms, crest and supporters are also taken from Hereford's arms. The agricultural produce of Herefordshire is represented by the bull's head, fleece, hops and apples. The talbot dog comes from the heraldry of the Talbot family, Marcher Lords of Shrewsbury and also from that of Viscount Hereford. The Latin motto is: Pulchra terra Dei donum ("This fair land
3726-417: The south arcade surviving with buttresses in the southern part of the old nave. The chancel contains unique example of ballflowers decoration in the chancel, and with the north transept dates from 1310 to 1330. The rood and parclose screens are also medieval. The foliated crosses on coffin lids in the south aisle are medieval with 14th century tiles. The south porch in 16th century. The only surviving effigy
3795-453: The surrounding area and the market towns of Leominster and Kington are well known for their black and white timber-framed buildings. Dilwyn itself has many black and white half-timbered houses, both within the central village and scattered throughout the many hamlets within the extensive 6,400 acres (26 km) of this rural parish. [REDACTED] Media related to Dilwyn at Wikimedia Commons This Herefordshire location article
3864-519: The territory. Smaller castles were built at St Briavels , Ruardean , Goodrich and Wilton Castle . Tintern Abbey was founded in 1131 by Cistercian monks, and largely rebuilt in the 13th century. It is the best-preserved medieval abbey in Wales and an outstanding example of Gothic architecture . Many of the smaller villages in the area probably date from the Middle Ages, and much of this expansion
3933-588: The two counties was identical to the pre-1974 boundary. From 1974 to 1998, Herefordshire was part of the former non-metropolitan county of Hereford and Worcester . Herefordshire was reconstituted both as a new district as " County of Herefordshire " and as a new county (coextensive with the area of the aforementioned district) (effective 1 April 1998) by Statutory Instrument as defined in The Hereford and Worcester (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996 . This Order established Herefordshire as
4002-441: The two most common non-UK countries of birth for foreign born people in Herefordshire. Christianity is the dominant religion in Herefordshire at 54.9% of the population as of 2021 (a decline from 67.8% at the 2011 census). Muslims make up 0.4% of the population, Buddhists 0.3% and Hindus 0.2%. Gypsies and Travellers have historically been Herefordshire's largest minority ethnic group. They are made up of three main groups: As of
4071-449: The underground watercourses have carved out long cave systems, which exit at Otter Hole at the base of Piercefield cliffs – the only cave system in England or Wales which can only be reached through a tidal sump, making it a mecca for experienced cavers. Lancaut and Ban-y-Gor are Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust nature reserves. They both have SSSI status being part of
4140-430: The west. The city of Hereford is the largest settlement and the county town . The county is one of the most rural in England, with an area of 2,180 square kilometres (840 sq mi) and a population of 187,034, giving a density of 88/km (228/sq mi). After Hereford (53,112) the largest settlements are Leominster (10,938), Ross-on-Wye (10,582), and Ledbury (8,862). For local government purposes Herefordshire
4209-733: The world's largest earth station . Tyrrells Potato Crisps are at Dilwyn west of Leominster. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Herefordshire at current basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. ^ includes hunting and forestry ^ includes energy and construction ^ includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured ^ Components may not sum to totals due to rounding Many well-known cider producers are based in Herefordshire. These include Weston's cider of Much Marcle , and Bulmer's cider, from Hereford, which produces
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#17328588912854278-550: The world's largest vat (for Strongbow ), built in 1975. Painter Brothers (part of Balfour Beatty ) in the north of Hereford, is the UK's largest manufacturer of electricity pylons ( transmission towers ), broadcasting masts , the Callender-Hamilton bridge , and rail electrification structures. Special Metals Wiggin , part of Special Metals Corporation , based at Hereford was the main producer of nickel alloys in Europe, with
4347-408: Was granted a coat of arms on 28 February 1946. The arms became obsolete in 1974 on the abolition of the council, but were transferred to the present Herefordshire Council by Order in Council in 1997. The arms are blazoned as follows: Gules on a fesse wavy between in chief a lion passant guardant argent and in base a Herefordshire bull's head caboshed proper, a bar wavy azure ; and for
4416-676: Was not until 1828 that the current Wye Valley road, the A466 , was first constructed. The area became more accessible by road to much of the country with the building of the M50 between the M5 and Ross-on-Wye, and the opening of the Severn Bridge (now part of the M48 ) in 1966. The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was designated in 1971. The designation indicates the importance of recognising and preserving
4485-446: Was probably associated with the early iron industry. The medieval iron industry consumed large quantities of charcoal and much of the woodland was coppiced for this purpose. Trellech was one of the largest communities in Wales during this period. Iron has been made in the Wye Valley since Roman times, using the ready supply of timber, good quality ore and abundant charcoal from the Forest of Dean . The river provided transport for
4554-652: Was reported that one colony of lesser horseshoe bats in the area had reached record numbers, with some 890 bats in a small stone barn (599 adults and 291 pups). The valley has been inhabited for at least 12,000 years. Caves near Symonds Yat and Chepstow provide evidence of settlement dating from Palaeolithic times, and finds from later stone ages such as the Neolithic have also been found. These have yielded evidence of how prehistoric human populations lived as nomadic hunters and traders. Standing stones at Huntsham, Staunton , and Trellech all have origins dating back to
4623-408: Was stated that the Wye "can scarcely be considered a commercial highway" above Monmouth, and by the 1880s Brockweir bridge was the effective upper limit of navigation. As the 19th century progressed, the valley's industries gradually declined, and management of the woodlands lessened when there was no longer a ready market for their products. The Wye Valley witnessed the birth of British tourism in
4692-511: Was the economic backbone of the region, providing an important means of transport, trade and communication. In late medieval times, salmon weirs hindered free passage on the river, but the Wye Navigation Act in 1662 enabled the river's potential to be developed. By 1727 shallow draught boats could get upstream beyond Hereford, and a significant shipbuilding industry developed at Monmouth, Llandogo , Brockweir and Chepstow. However, by 1835 it
4761-416: Was the world's first railed-way to make specific powers in its Act of Parliament to allow for the charging of fares to passengers. The standard gauge Wye Valley Railway line between Chepstow, Monmouth and Ross opened much later, in 1876. This made the valley more accessible and popular to tourists. In the early 20th century, crowds of up to 1300 would travel on a special train journey to see Tintern Abbey on
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