New Fancy
Encyclopedia
New Fancy is the site of an afforested
coal
spoil heap near Parkend in the Forest of Dean
, Gloucestershire
, England
. It includes a picnic area, and a viewing site, in particular for goshawks. It is linked to the Forest of Dean Family Cycle Trail.
s, especially goshawks, best seen from late morning onwards in February and March. In February 1998, a female Two-barred Crossbill
was present in a crossbill flock here, drawing many birdwatchers from across Britain.
) - and stands around 11 feet (3.4 m) high. Stainless steel discs set into the sculpture represent the tokens carried by miners to determine who was below ground in the event of accidents.
before being assembled on site. The rock strata depicted are built from samples of the rock they represent. Metal discs represent the locations of the main iron and coal mines and quarries, with black lines to represent coal seams and white lines for railway routes. It is flat and polished, but not shiny, and is intended to be walked on.
Afforestation
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally or artificially...
coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
spoil heap near Parkend in the Forest of Dean
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....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It includes a picnic area, and a viewing site, in particular for goshawks. It is linked to the Forest of Dean Family Cycle Trail.
History
The New Fancy coal mine was opened by Edward Protheroe in 1827, as part of the Park End Coal Company. By 1860 it was owned by Sully & Co., and in 1885 was sold to the Parkend & New Fancy Collieries Co. Ltd. It remained in operation until 1944.Bird watching
The top of the old coal mine spoil heap has been converted into a viewing site known as New Fancy View, particularly for birdwatchers, and gives panoramas over an extensive forested area. It is best known for its raptorBird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
s, especially goshawks, best seen from late morning onwards in February and March. In February 1998, a female Two-barred Crossbill
Two-barred Crossbill
The Two-barred Crossbill , known as the White-winged Crossbill in North America, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae...
was present in a crossbill flock here, drawing many birdwatchers from across Britain.
Roll of Honour miners' memorial
The Roll of Honour sculpture was commissioned by the Forest of Dean Local History Society to honour those who worked and were killed or injured in the mines and quarries of the Forest of Dean. It was constructed by Graham Tyler and John Wakefield and was unveiled in 2005. It consists of three elements - stone, iron (represented by rusted steel), and coal (represented by carved and blackened local oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
) - and stands around 11 feet (3.4 m) high. Stainless steel discs set into the sculpture represent the tokens carried by miners to determine who was below ground in the event of accidents.
Forest of Dean Geomap
The Forest of Dean Geomap, a 900 square feet (83.6 m²) sculpture of the geology and mines of the Forest of Dean area, was unveiled at the New Fancy picnic site in May 2008. It was commissioned by the local history society, who received a grant from DEFRA’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund, and was constructed by sculptor David Yeates of MitcheldeanMitcheldean
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...
before being assembled on site. The rock strata depicted are built from samples of the rock they represent. Metal discs represent the locations of the main iron and coal mines and quarries, with black lines to represent coal seams and white lines for railway routes. It is flat and polished, but not shiny, and is intended to be walked on.