Flaxley
Encyclopedia
Flaxley is a small settlement in the Forest of Dean
, Gloucestershire
, located in between the larger village
s of Westbury-on-Severn
and Mitcheldean
at the foot of the Vale of Castiard.
was an important medieval ironworking region, and the earliest forge
in Flaxley is recorded in the 12th century. The Westbury brook was the site of five water mills, and at Guns Mill by Flaxley was one the main gun foundries of the English Civil War
era. A blast furnace
was built there in 1629. Today,Flaxley offers a pleasant picturesque wooded scene and is difficult to imagine it any other way, but it has a strong industrial past, notably of iron furnaces, forges and water mills. The earliest known forge was present as early as 1150 and at least five mills have been identified as utilising the waters of Westbury Brook which runs down the valley. The earliest and most famous industrial site is Guns Mill, (at SO67519), now a luxurious guesthouse. This blast furnace, was built by Sir John Wintour, operated between 1629 to 1743 and was named after William Gunne, the owner of an earlier mill on the site. Guns Mill was used primarily for armament production and in 1629, the Crown ordered that 610 guns were to be made there and sent to Holland, but many were subsequently used by both sides in the English Civil War
. The furnace was destroyed by order of Parliament in 1650 but it was rebuilt in 1683 and remained in use until c1743 when it became a paper mill
. The latter closed in 1879 but several of the furnace's buildings remain and the site is now a scheduled monument as it is the finest remaining example of a charcoal blast furnace from this period in the country.
Flaxley is also famous for its old Cistercian abbey founded between 1148 - 1154 by Roger, Earl of Hereford
, at the spot where his father, Miles of Gloucester, was killed whilst out hunting. The abbey and its monks were initially favoured by the Crown and it was granted land (by Henry II in 1158) as well as timber and woodlands (by Henry III
in 1227) The abbey survived as a monastic entity until the Dissolution in 1536 - 7 when its lands and manor were granted to Sir William Kingston, the Constable of the Tower of London (who supervised the execution of Ann Boleyn
). The present Church of St Mary, with its contrasting red and grey Forest stone, was built in 1856, it has a richly decorated interior and a very elaborate font made of Painswick
(Cotswold
) stone with marble columns on octagonal steps.
Lying just west of Flaxley in Welshbury Woods, is Welshbury Hill
. This Iron Age
hill fort
has impressive triple defensive rampart and ditches on its south and west sides with a single bank and ditch on the north and east and an entrance. It lies on Forestry Commission
land, and is accessible to the public, it has never been excavated but in recent years it has been damaged by forestry operations and to minimise this the Forestry commission has reverted to using hoses on the site. Two interesting archaeological finds are associated with Welshbury, firstly a Celt
ic electrum
coin which was found in fields nearby and depicts a stag or horse and secondly, an iron spearhead of Roman military style, which was found inside the ramparts after ground disturbance due to logging. Below the north ramparts of Welshbury is the enigmatic St Anthony's Well, an ancient spring whose name dates from the medieval period
. However prehistoric flint implements have been found in the springs vicinity as well as Iron Age and Roman artefacts and it seems likely that the well was a ritual site for a long period of time.
Simon Cowmeadow, a convicted drug smuggler who lived in Flaxley, was arrested along with two other men in 2001 after a tip-off led to police intercepting a lorry in Essex
bound for Holland with 100,000 ecstasy
tablets, worth an estimated £1 million. He absconded bail and in 2002 was sentenced to 18 years in prison in his absence. He was on the Serious Organised Crime Agency
(Soca) wanted list, but nothing was heard of him until November 2007 when he was reportedly shot in the head in a gangland-style attack in Amsterdam
.
The most significant feature of the village is Flaxley Abbey
which dates back the 12th Century and is now a private residence, although the summer village fetes are still held here. An 18th century resident of the Abbey was Mary Pope, who gave her name to Popes Hill, an inhabited hill to the south west of the village. Other buildings of note are the Church of St Mary the Virgin, and tiny Flaxley School which closed as a school in 1901 and more recently has been refurbished and is now used as a community village hall
. Flaxley is in the parish of Westbury-on-Severn.
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, located in between the larger village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s of Westbury-on-Severn
Westbury-on-Severn
Westbury-on-Severn is a rural village in England that is the centre of the large, rural parish, also called Westbury-on-Severn.-Location:The village is situated on the A48 road and bounded by the River Severn to the south and west.The village has a large parish church which is distinctive as the...
and Mitcheldean
Mitcheldean
Mitcheldean is a small town in the east of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England.-History:Mitcheldean was a thriving community for many centuries due to the town's proximity to iron ore deposits...
at the foot of the Vale of Castiard.
History
Flaxley was once a major industrial centre. The Forest of DeanForest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
was an important medieval ironworking region, and the earliest forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
in Flaxley is recorded in the 12th century. The Westbury brook was the site of five water mills, and at Guns Mill by Flaxley was one the main gun foundries of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
era. A blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
was built there in 1629. Today,Flaxley offers a pleasant picturesque wooded scene and is difficult to imagine it any other way, but it has a strong industrial past, notably of iron furnaces, forges and water mills. The earliest known forge was present as early as 1150 and at least five mills have been identified as utilising the waters of Westbury Brook which runs down the valley. The earliest and most famous industrial site is Guns Mill, (at SO67519), now a luxurious guesthouse. This blast furnace, was built by Sir John Wintour, operated between 1629 to 1743 and was named after William Gunne, the owner of an earlier mill on the site. Guns Mill was used primarily for armament production and in 1629, the Crown ordered that 610 guns were to be made there and sent to Holland, but many were subsequently used by both sides in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. The furnace was destroyed by order of Parliament in 1650 but it was rebuilt in 1683 and remained in use until c1743 when it became a paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
. The latter closed in 1879 but several of the furnace's buildings remain and the site is now a scheduled monument as it is the finest remaining example of a charcoal blast furnace from this period in the country.
Flaxley is also famous for its old Cistercian abbey founded between 1148 - 1154 by Roger, Earl of Hereford
Earl of Hereford
The title of Earl of Hereford was created six times in the Peerage of England. See also Duke of Hereford, Viscount Hereford. Dates indicate the years the person held the title for.-Earls of Hereford, First Creation :*Swegen Godwinson...
, at the spot where his father, Miles of Gloucester, was killed whilst out hunting. The abbey and its monks were initially favoured by the Crown and it was granted land (by Henry II in 1158) as well as timber and woodlands (by Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in 1227) The abbey survived as a monastic entity until the Dissolution in 1536 - 7 when its lands and manor were granted to Sir William Kingston, the Constable of the Tower of London (who supervised the execution of Ann Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
). The present Church of St Mary, with its contrasting red and grey Forest stone, was built in 1856, it has a richly decorated interior and a very elaborate font made of Painswick
Painswick
Painswick is a small town in Gloucestershire, England. Originally the town grew on the wool trade, but it is now best known for its parish church's yew trees and the local Rococo Garden. The town is mainly constructed of locally quarried Cotswold stone...
(Cotswold
Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'....
) stone with marble columns on octagonal steps.
Lying just west of Flaxley in Welshbury Woods, is Welshbury Hill
Welshbury Hill
Welshbury Hill is an Iron Age hill fort near Mitcheldean in Gloucestershire, England. It was built by the local Celtic people that lived there before Roman times. There is an ancient spring water well nearby known locally as St Anthony's Well....
. This Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
has impressive triple defensive rampart and ditches on its south and west sides with a single bank and ditch on the north and east and an entrance. It lies on Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
land, and is accessible to the public, it has never been excavated but in recent years it has been damaged by forestry operations and to minimise this the Forestry commission has reverted to using hoses on the site. Two interesting archaeological finds are associated with Welshbury, firstly a Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic electrum
Electrum
Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, with trace amounts of copper and other metals. It has also been produced artificially. The ancient Greeks called it 'gold' or 'white gold', as opposed to 'refined gold'. Its color ranges from pale to bright yellow, depending on the...
coin which was found in fields nearby and depicts a stag or horse and secondly, an iron spearhead of Roman military style, which was found inside the ramparts after ground disturbance due to logging. Below the north ramparts of Welshbury is the enigmatic St Anthony's Well, an ancient spring whose name dates from the medieval period
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. However prehistoric flint implements have been found in the springs vicinity as well as Iron Age and Roman artefacts and it seems likely that the well was a ritual site for a long period of time.
Simon Cowmeadow, a convicted drug smuggler who lived in Flaxley, was arrested along with two other men in 2001 after a tip-off led to police intercepting a lorry in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
bound for Holland with 100,000 ecstasy
Ecstasy
Ecstasy may refer to:* Ecstasy , a trance or trance-like state in which an individual transcends normal consciousness* Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness characterized by expanded spiritual awareness, visions or absolute euphoria...
tablets, worth an estimated £1 million. He absconded bail and in 2002 was sentenced to 18 years in prison in his absence. He was on the Serious Organised Crime Agency
Serious Organised Crime Agency
The Serious Organised Crime Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom under Home Office sponsorship...
(Soca) wanted list, but nothing was heard of him until November 2007 when he was reportedly shot in the head in a gangland-style attack in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Flaxley Abbey
Flaxley Abbey
Flaxley Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in England, now a private residence, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.-History:Flaxley Abbey was founded in 1148 by Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford...
which dates back the 12th Century and is now a private residence, although the summer village fetes are still held here. An 18th century resident of the Abbey was Mary Pope, who gave her name to Popes Hill, an inhabited hill to the south west of the village. Other buildings of note are the Church of St Mary the Virgin, and tiny Flaxley School which closed as a school in 1901 and more recently has been refurbished and is now used as a community village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
. Flaxley is in the parish of Westbury-on-Severn.