Ruardean

Ruardean is a village to the west of Cinderford and situated in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. It lies within a landscape of Limestone Hills above the Wye Valley and occupies a very prominent position on a steep north facing hillside.

Originally, Ruardean was the centre for iron ore smelting furnaces, forges and coal mines, although very little remains now of the village's industrial history. The iron industry generated much economic activity in the area. Charcoal burners, who supplied the fuel for the forges, worked in or near the parish in the later13th century. Among metal trades, nail making was established in Ruardean by 1509 and continued well into the 19th century. In 1667 and 1678 pins were apparently also made in the parish. The cinders left by the early forges were being removed for re-smelting at nearby ironworks in the late 17th century. Many horses were kept in the parish in the early 18th century to transport cinders and charcoal to ironworks and coal from the Forest to the surrounding countryside, both of which continued to be burned in the area until the late 18th century.

Today, St. John The Baptist's Church, dating from 1111AD, is the town's main centrepiece and landmark. A manor house which stood behind the church was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's troops in the English Civil War. During the 19th century the church's inhabitants were Reverend John Horlick and his descendents, James and William, famous for their hot malt beverage Horlicks. Horlick's Barn in Ruardean is the building where the brothers are reputed to have carried out early experiments which lead to the successful drying of milk. The small building still stands behind the Malt Shovel public house on the High Street.

The village is divided into two distinct parts comprising of an historic core to the west and a number of small modern housing estates to the east. The area around the High Street largely consists of terraced housing and forms the historic core of the village, including an attractive church and many other buildings of traditional style. This area together with the site of Ruardean Castle is the basis for the Conservation Area which was designated in 1990. To the east the village has grown in a linear form out from the historic core. Development has generally been in the form of local authority and private housing estates which now comprise the larger part of the housing stock. To the south of the village development has taken place on a more ad hoc basis and is clustered around a large area of open space on an elevated hillside.

Ruardean has a good range of services for a village of its size including several shops, a post office, two public houses, village hall, doctors surgery, school, Parish Church and public toilets. In addition there is a garage and some small scale industrial employers using various converted premises. A large recreation ground is located to the north east of the village immediately adjacent the defined settlement boundary.

Email

This site and domain are not affiliated with or owned by any government or municipal authority.
©2008 Ruardean.com
Disclaimer: Domain owner maintains no relationship with third party advertisers. Reference to any specific service or trademark is not controlled by domain owner and does not constitute or imply its association, endorsement or recommendation.

An England.net site