65-609: The Wye Valley Walk ( Welsh : Llwybr Dyffryn Gwy ) is a long distance footpath in Wales and England following the course of the River Wye . In 1975 the Wye Valley Walk opened with a 14-mile (23 km) stretch between St. Arvans and Monmouth . Further stretches were added, leading to it becoming a 34-mile (55 km) footpath by 1981. During the 1980s, gaps between Ross-on-Wye , Hay-on-Wye and Rhayader were integrated into
130-446: A non-metropolitan county , with six districts, and the unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire . South Gloucestershire Council is a member of the West of England Combined Authority . Gloucestershire is bisected by the river River Severn , which enters the county near Tewkesbury and forms a wide valley down its centre before broadening into a large tidal estuary . The hills to
195-512: 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
260-416: A county in its own right, separate from Gloucestershire and Somerset, in 1373. It later became part of the administrative County of Avon from 1974 to 1996. Some northern parts of the county, including Long Marston and Welford-on-Avon , were transferred to Warwickshire in 1931. Upon the abolition of Avon in 1996, the region north of Bristol became a unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire and
325-796: 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
390-564: 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
455-743: A large part of the Cotswolds, the Royal Forest of Dean and the Severn Vale. The Cotswolds take up a large portion of the east and south of the county, The Forest of Dean taking up the west, with the Severn and its valley running between these features. The Daffodil Way in the Leadon Valley, on the border of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire surrounding the village of Dymock , is known for its many spring flowers, orchards, and woodland, which attracts many walkers. In
520-841: A much larger railway network than it does now with over 100 stations in the county, the vast majority of which were closed during the Beeching cuts . Nowadays, only 15 remain within the county, mostly concentrated on the CrossCountry NE-SW route and around the North Fringe of Bristol . Some stations have been re-opened in recent years; Cam and Dursley railway station opened in 1994, with Ashchurch for Tewkesbury opening three years later in 1997. Local campaign groups are also seeking to reopen several disused stations, including Charfield railway station in South Gloucestershire . There are
585-663: A number of Roman remains scattered across the county, including the Eastgate Viewing Chamber in Gloucester and Chedworth Roman Villa . There are a variety of religious buildings across the county, notably the cathedral of Gloucester , the abbey church of Tewkesbury (which is over 500 years old and has the tallest Norman tower in England), and the church of Cirencester . Of the abbey of Hailes near Winchcombe , founded by Richard, Earl of Cornwall , in 1246, little more than
650-523: 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
715-693: A regional centre at the Gloucester Docks , Alexandra Warehouse, specialising in Adult and Mental Health Nursing; and Frenchay Campus in South Gloucestershire . Gloucestershire has one city and 33 towns: The towns in Gloucestershire are: Suburban town of Stroud : Town in Monmouthshire with suburbs in Gloucestershire: The county has two green belt areas, the first covers the southern area in
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#1732844843037780-526: A series of stained-glass windows which are said to have been brought from the Netherlands . These are, however, adjudged to be of English workmanship. Other notable buildings include Calcot Barn in Calcot, a relic of Kingswood Abbey . Thornbury Castle is a Tudor country house, the pretensions of which evoked the jealousy of Cardinal Wolsey against its builder, Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham , who
845-513: Is a ceremonial county in South West England . It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire to the east, Wiltshire to the south, Bristol and Somerset to the south-west, and the Welsh county of Monmouthshire to the west. The city of Gloucester is the largest settlement and the county town . The county
910-503: Is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Gloucestershire at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of Pounds Sterling. The following is a chart of Gloucestershire's gross value added total in millions of Pounds Sterling from 1997 to 2009 based upon the Office for National Statistics figures The 2009 estimation of £11,452 million GVA can be compared to
975-494: Is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century, though the areas of Winchcombe and the Forest of Dean were not added until the late 11th century. Gloucestershire originally included Bristol, then a small town. Members of local rural communities moved to the port city (as Bristol was to become), and Bristol's population growth accelerated during the industrial revolution. Bristol became
1040-903: Is a weekly paid-for newspaper based in Stroud. It is published in a tabloid format by Newsquest . Newsquest also produces the weekly Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard newspaper, which covers the southern and eastern parts of the county as well as the weekly Gloucestershire Gazette , which covers the south of the county and much of South Gloucestershire. Gloucester News Centre is an independent news website with news and information for Gloucestershire. Radio stations in Gloucestershire include BBC Radio Gloucestershire , BBC Radio Bristol (for South Gloucestershire ), Heart West , Sunshine Radio and Greatest Hits Radio Gloucestershire . There are also several community radio stations including Gloucester FM , Radio Winchcombe , Forest of Dean Radio , North Cotswold Community Radio , and Severn FM . Local TV for
1105-482: Is marked out by circular yellow waymark arrows, finger posts , and signs showing the path's logo , a leaping salmon . Most of the route follows Public Rights of Way . Some parts are permissive paths where owners have agreed for them to be used. Parts of Plynlimon are open countryside in which there is a right to roam established by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 . The route passes through Chepstow,
1170-530: Is mixed. There are 42 state secondary schools, not including sixth form colleges , and 12 independent schools, including Cheltenham Ladies' College , Cheltenham College and Dean Close School . All but about two schools in each district have a sixth form, but the Forest of Dean only has two schools with sixth forms. All schools in South Gloucestershire have sixth forms. Gloucestershire has two universities,
1235-443: Is now part of the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire. In July 2007, Gloucestershire was subject to some of the worst flooding in recorded British history, with tens of thousands of residents affected. The RAF conducted the largest peacetime domestic operation in its history to rescue over 120 residents from flood-affected areas. The damage was estimated at over £2 billion. Gloucestershire has three main landscape areas,
1300-433: Is predominantly rural, with an area of 3,150 square kilometres (1,220 sq mi) and a population of 916,212. After Gloucester (118,555) the largest distinct settlements are Cheltenham (115,940), Stroud (26,080), and Yate (28,350). In the south of the county, the areas around Filton and Kingswood are densely populated and part of Bristol built-up area . For local government purposes Gloucestershire comprises
1365-588: Is the Western Daily Press , while The Citizen , which covers Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean, and the Gloucestershire Echo , which covers Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and the Cotswolds, were published daily but since October 2017 have been weekly publications. All three, along with free weeklies The Forester , Stroud Life , The Gloucester News and The Cheltenham and Tewkesbury News , are published by Local World . The Stroud News & Journal
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#17328448430371430-582: The Avon Fire and Rescue Service . Since 2017, South Gloucestershire has been part of the West of England Combined Authority , which is under the directly elected mayor Dan Norris . There are six parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire , all of which are Conservative controlled as of the 2019 general election . Due to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , Gloucestershire will be combined with Wiltshire for parliamentary boundary purposes, allowing cross-county electoral divisions. This
1495-567: 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
1560-699: 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 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
1625-519: 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,
1690-841: The University of Gloucestershire and the Royal Agricultural University , and four higher and further education colleges, Gloucestershire College , Cirencester College , South Gloucestershire and Stroud College and the Royal Forest of Dean College . Each has campuses at multiple locations throughout the county. The University of the West of England also has three locations in Gloucestershire; an associate faculty ( Hartpury College ) specialising in animal behaviour and welfare, agricultural and sports-related courses in Hartpury, Gloucestershire ;
1755-603: The Wye Valley AONB , Tintern , Monmouth , Ross-on-Wye , Symonds Yat , Hereford , Hay-on-Wye , Builth Wells , Rhayader , and Llangurig to Plynlimon. The route of the Wye Valley Walk can be broken into 17 stages, though the entire walk is often walked in seven day-length sections from Chepstow to Plynlimon, or vice versa. Days and sections* described in the text The Wye Valley Walk , and The Wye Valley Walk website, both by The Wye Valley Partnership. *miles and km rounded to whole numbers The Wye Valley Walk passes
1820-422: 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
1885-926: The 2020 episode " Fugitive of the Judoon " was set and filmed at Gloucester Cathedral . A fictional Brimpsfield was the village, home of Peter and Abby Grant, in the 1970s BBC TV series Survivors , with a railway connection to London. Witcombe Festival is an annual music festival held in Brockworth . As well as music, the three-day festival has it roots deep in cider . The festival consists of four stages and has been headlined by Dizzee Rascal , Plan B , Sigma , Ella Eyre , Example , Wiley , Heather Small , Lethal Bizzle and Tinchy Stryder . The Romano/Celtic temple ruins in Lydney Park contributed to J.R.R. Tolkien 's description of The Shire in his Middle-earth Legendarium . The famous Gloucestershire Old Spots pig
1950-510: 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
2015-562: The Forest of Dean was also a major iron-producing region in this period. The city of Bristol became an independent county in 1373, by which point it was the third-largest city in England. Gloucestershire was not heavily industrialised during the Industrial Revolution , but the Port of Gloucester was expanded with new docks and the small Forest of Dean coalfield was exploited. Gloucestershire
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2080-612: The Harry Potter films and the BBC TV series Butterflies . " A Girl's Best Friend ", the pilot for the proposed Doctor Who spin-off K-9 and Company , was filmed in Gloucestershire. The setting is the fictional town of Moreton Harwood. The fictional town of Leadworth in Doctor Who is in Gloucestershire. It is the home of companions Amy Pond , Rory Williams and River Song in their childhoods and young adulthoods. Additionally,
2145-570: 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
2210-798: 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
2275-542: The South Gloucestershire district, to protect outlying villages and towns between Thornbury and Chipping Sodbury from the urban sprawl of the Bristol conurbation . The second belt lies around Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Bishop's Cleeve, to afford those areas and villages in between a protection from urban sprawl and further convergence. Both belts intersect with the boundaries of the Cotswolds AONB . Gloucestershire once had
2340-561: The South West regional average of £7,927 million. Gloucestershire has mainly comprehensive schools with seven selective grammar schools ; two are in Stroud, Stroud High School for girls and Marling School for boys, one in Cheltenham, Pate's Grammar , and four in Gloucester, Sir Thomas Rich's for boys (aged 11–18) and girls (aged 16–18, in the sixth form), and Denmark Road High School and Ribston Hall for girls and The Crypt which
2405-647: The UK were rebranded as National Landscapes, though still keep their designation as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The navigation of the tidal part of the Wye (below Bigsweir ) comes under the control of the Gloucester Harbour Trustees as Competent Harbour Authority. [REDACTED] Media related to Bigsweir Woods at Wikimedia Commons Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( / ˈ ɡ l ɒ s t ər ʃ ər / GLOST -ər-shər , /- ʃ ɪər / -sheer ; abbreviated Glos. )
2470-540: 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
2535-471: 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 a 72-kilometre (45 mi) stretch of
2600-466: 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
2665-457: The county is provided by BBC West and ITV West Country from Bristol, although in the northern extremes of Gloucestershire, BBC Midlands and ITV Central (West) from Birmingham covers this area. Some eastern parts of the county (Cirencester and parts of the Cotswolds) receive BBC South and ITV Meridian from Oxford. There are two well-known accounts of childhood in rural Gloucestershire in
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2730-456: The county, South Gloucestershire is governed by South Gloucestershire Council , which is a unitary authority council independent of the county council but the unitary authority is still part of the ceremonial county. Previously, the area of South Gloucestershire was part of the county of Avon. Although Avon was abolished in 1996, some services in South Gloucestershire are still provided in conjunction with other former parts of Avon county, such as
2795-558: The early 20th century, Laurie Lee 's Cider With Rosie and Winifred Foley 's A Child in the Forest . Part of Mrs. Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman is set in Enderley, a thinly disguised Amberley , where she lived at the time of writing. Most of the book is set in Nortonbury, easily recognisable as Tewkesbury . The county has also been the setting for a number of high-profile movies and TV series, including Die Another Day ,
2860-527: The east form the majority of the Cotswolds AONB , and the uplands to the west are part of the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley AONB , which stretches into Wales. Gloucestershire was likely established in the tenth century, and expanded to approximately its current borders in the eleventh. The county was relatively settled during the late Middle Ages, and contained several wealthy monasteries such as Tewkesbury , Gloucester , Hailes , and Cirencester ;
2925-544: The following notable landmarks: The following stations have services provided by Transport for Wales which can be used to connect with the Wye Valley Walk: Wye Valley The Wye Valley ( Welsh : Dyffryn Gwy ) 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
2990-508: The foundations are left, but these have been excavated and fragments have been brought to light. Most of the old market towns have parish churches . At Deerhurst near Tewkesbury and Bishop's Cleeve near Cheltenham , there are churches of special interest on account of the pre-Norman work they retain. There is also a Perpendicular church in Lechlade , and that at Fairford was built ( c. 1500 ), according to tradition, to contain
3055-547: 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
3120-451: 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;
3185-553: 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 ),
3250-453: 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
3315-508: The pathway, forming a 112-mile (180 km) walk reaching from near the river's mouth at Chepstow in Monmouthshire , to Rhayader in Mid Wales . In September 2002, the route was finally extended to start or finish in Coed Hafren , having passed within viewing distance of the source of the River Wye on Plynlimon near Aberystwyth , a total of 136 miles (219 km). The Wye Valley Walk
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#17328448430373380-486: 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
3445-532: 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
3510-447: 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,
3575-592: The ruins of Witcombe Roman Villa at Great Witcombe are also notable heritage features. There are several royal residences in Gloucestershire, including Highgrove House , Gatcombe Park , and (formerly) Nether Lypiatt Manor . An annual " cheese-rolling " event takes place at Cooper's Hill, near Brockworth and the Cotswold Games occurred within the county. Places of interest in Gloucestershire include: Areas of countryside in Gloucestershire include: Scenic Railway Line: Gloucestershire's only daily newspaper
3640-519: 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
3705-399: 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
3770-703: The west, the Wye valley borders Wales. Gloucestershire is a ceremonial county in South West England. Gloucestershire County Council 's 53 seats are majority-controlled by the Conservatives, though the Liberal Democrats have a sizeable presence on the council. The Council Leader is Mark Hawthorne. The County Council shares responsibility with six district councils: Tewkesbury, Forest of Dean, City of Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and Cotswold. The southernmost part of
3835-432: Was beheaded in 1521. Near Cheltenham is the 15th-century mansion of Southam de la Bere , of timber and stone. Memorials of the de la Bere family appear in the church at Cleeve. The mansion contains a tiled floor from Hailes Abbey . At Great Badminton is the mansion and vast domain of the Beauforts (formerly of the Botelers and others), on the south-eastern boundary of the county. Berkeley Castle at over 800 years old and
3900-441: 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
3965-446: 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
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#17328448430374030-601: 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
4095-408: 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
4160-450: 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
4225-416: 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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