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The Freeminers

This an ancient rite that goes back in history to at least the 13th Century, and beyond. A common phase used is "Time Beyond Memory". It is known that iron ore and stone were mined before the Romans came to England. It was the  Romans that extensively worked the iron ore mines, as the iron ore was of good quality and there was a plentiful supply of wood to make charcoal for smelting. The remains of these workings can be seen in the Dean today. They are locally called Scowles, and several Roman artifacts have been found in and around them.

It is said that due to the expertise of the Forest Miners  in the 13th century,  - Edward the King of England  used them to undermine the defenses of the Scots at Berwick thus bringing about their defeat -,  that the Forest of Dean miners received a special privilege.  That all those born within 'The Hundreds of St. Briavels' and have worked in a mine for a year and a day and are over twenty one have the right to apply to the Gaveller for a Gale. A gale is a parcel of land that is leased to the miner on the payment of an annul rent and an agreed royalty on the minerals mined.  The Gaveller and Deputy Gaveller are the Crown's  representatives who oversee the mining and quarrying by Free Miners, and collect such royalties that are due.

These Free Miners have their own Courts to settle disputes. Originally these Courts were held before the Constable of St. Briavels at  St. Briavels Castle. Later it was moved to the Speech House in the centre of the Forest, also where The Verders hold their courts.

The Forest of Dean coalfield is similar to a saucer where the coal outcrops at the edge and the deeper seems are towards the centre. The free mines usually go into the side of hill or down an incline, invariably following the seem of coal or iron. Most of these small mines are near the edge of the coalfield or where the coal is near the surface. The actual mining of coal by a free miner is very hard as most of the seems of coal are not very thick.  There are not many mechanical aids in these mines, as the cost of the equipment and the relative size of the seems, makes it to expensive. The deeper mines are where several free miners originally worked together, to go deeper to work the larger seems of coal. These were gradually sold to others and thus as more money became available they became larger. Indirectly this helped the Free Miners in the small mines, as these deeper mines had to install pumps to drained the water that is a problem in the forest. There is no gas in the forest coalfield so the miners used open carbide lamps.

  Successive Governments of England have tried to have these ancient rites of the Freeminers curtailed.  They have tried to bring them under the control of the Coal Authority, trying to impose a form of licensing, extra to what is already in place since the 1800's.  The Freeminers Association are fighting this with every ancient law they can find.

Sad to say the Government of this Country seem to be bent on destroying our heritage. Again it seems as if those in Brussels are also trying to destroy the British way of life with some of their so say directives.
For more on the Forest miners see the following books

FINE FOREST OF DEAN COAL.....LIGHTMOOR FACSIMILE SERIES No2

THE LAWS OF THE DEAN FOREST................by James G. Wood

THE FREE MINERS OF THE FOREST OF DEAN................by Dr. Cyril Hart
Entrance to a Forest Freemine
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