West Dean, Gloucestershire
Encyclopedia
West Dean is a civil parish
, situated in the Forest of Dean
district of Gloucestershire
, England.
was an extra-parochial area
in the St Briavels
hundred of Gloucestershire. It was without the usual parish structure until the West Dean and East Dean
townships were formed in 1844. For poor relief, West Dean was grouped into the Monmouth
Poor Law Union
and was included in the Monmouth rural sanitary district
. Following the Local Government Act 1894
, West Dean became a civil parish in the West Dean Rural District
. In 1974 the rural district was abolished and West Dean became one of 41 civil parishes in the Forest of Dean
district.
The council is consulted by all public service providers and has a statutory right to comment on all planning applications in West Dean. In 2000 it purchased and refurbished Bream Community Centre, which has since been extended and a Parish Office established there. Other areas Council have become involved in are provision of bus shelters, street cleaning, footpaths, play areas, environmental improvements and capital projects such as the restoration of Bream Cenotaph and works at Parkend Churchyard.
The Council meets on the last Wednesday of each month at Beam Community Centre at 7pm. Every Council meeting begins with a Public Open Forum to enable electors to ask questions or comment on matters that affect the Parish.
At the 2001 census
there were 10,305 people living in West Dean Parish, more than in any of the Forest towns. The size of the Parish is a considerable 4686 hectares and stretches from Berry Hill
and Christchurch
in the north to Bream in the south and from Sling
in the west to Viney Hill in the east.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
, situated in the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean (district)
Forest of Dean is a local government district in Gloucestershire, England, named after the Forest of Dean. Its council is based in Coleford. Other towns in the district include Cinderford, Newent and Tidenham....
district of 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.
History
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 extra-parochial area
Extra-parochial area
In the United Kingdom, an extra-parochial area or extra-parochial place was an area considered to be outside any parish. They were therefore exempt from payment of any poor or church rate and usually tithe...
in the St Briavels
St Briavels (hundred)
St Briavels was an ancient hundred of Gloucestershire, England. It comprised the extra-parochial area of the Forest of Dean, and the ancient parishes of*Abenhall*English Bicknor*St Briavels*Littledean*Flaxley*Hewelsfield*Mitcheldean*Newland*Ruardean...
hundred of Gloucestershire. It was without the usual parish structure until the West Dean and East Dean
East Dean, Gloucestershire
East Dean was a township, and later civil parish, in Gloucestershire, England. It was created as a township in 1844 and abolished as a civil parish in 1953. Its former area is now part of the Forest of Dean district....
townships were formed in 1844. For poor relief, West Dean was grouped into the Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
and was included in the Monmouth rural sanitary district
Sanitary district
Sanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1875 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures:*Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies...
. Following the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, West Dean became a civil parish in the West Dean Rural District
West Dean Rural District
West Dean Rural District was a rural district in Gloucestershire, England from 1894 to 1974. It included a number of civil parishes, including, confusingly, one called West Dean, and gained further territory in 1935....
. In 1974 the rural district was abolished and West Dean became one of 41 civil parishes in the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean (district)
Forest of Dean is a local government district in Gloucestershire, England, named after the Forest of Dean. Its council is based in Coleford. Other towns in the district include Cinderford, Newent and Tidenham....
district.
Governance
West Dean parish is divided electorally into 5 wards with a total of 15 councillors as follows:- Ellwood and Sling Ward - 2 councillors
- Christchurch Ward - 1 councillor
- Bream Ward - 5 councillors
- Pillowell Ward - 5 councillors
- Berry Hill Ward - 2 councillors.
The council is consulted by all public service providers and has a statutory right to comment on all planning applications in West Dean. In 2000 it purchased and refurbished Bream Community Centre, which has since been extended and a Parish Office established there. Other areas Council have become involved in are provision of bus shelters, street cleaning, footpaths, play areas, environmental improvements and capital projects such as the restoration of Bream Cenotaph and works at Parkend Churchyard.
The Council meets on the last Wednesday of each month at Beam Community Centre at 7pm. Every Council meeting begins with a Public Open Forum to enable electors to ask questions or comment on matters that affect the Parish.
Geography
West Dean is the largest civil parish in the Forest of Dean district, both in respect of its population and its geographical size.At the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
there were 10,305 people living in West Dean Parish, more than in any of the Forest towns. The size of the Parish is a considerable 4686 hectares and stretches from Berry Hill
Berry Hill
Berry Hill may refer to landforms, historic buildings, or populated areas:in England*Berry Hill, Gloucestershire*Berry Hill, Staffordshire**Berry Hill High School and Sports College, secondary schoolin the United States...
and Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in the north to Bream in the south and from Sling
Sling
The word sling may refer to:* Sling , a device used to hurl projectiles* Sling is an item of climbing equipment consisting of a sewn loop of webbing that can be wrapped around sections of rock or tied to other pieces of equipment.* Sling * Ski jumping sling is an item of sports training...
in the west to Viney Hill in the east.
Villages in the civil parish
- Christchurch
- BerryhillBerry Hill, GloucestershireBerry Hill is a small village in Gloucestershire, England not far from the town of Coleford.It is notable for being the birthplace of the writer,journalist and TV playwright Dennis Potter.- External links :* * * *...
- Five Acres
- Joyford
- Shortstanding
- Edge EndEdge End, Gloucestershire-Location & Amenities:Edge End is about 1.5 miles NW of Coleford and about 1 mile north of the Royal Forest of Dean College. Originally close to some mine workings, all of which have now closed, the hamlet consists of about 100 or so private dwellings, with no pubs, shops or schools .The village is...
- EllwoodEllwood, GloucestershireEllwood is a village in the Forest of Dean district in Gloucestershire, England. It lies around south-east of Coleford. The village has a football club who as of 2008-09 play in the Gloucestershire County League....
- SlingSling, GloucestershireSling is a village in Gloucestershire, England. The village is located between Clearwell and Bream.- External links :*...
- Clements End
- Little Drybrook
- BreamBream, GloucestershireBream is a village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England.-History:The actual age of Bream is not known, although there may have been a settlement before the Romans came to Britain...
- BrockhollandsBrockhollandsBrockhollands is a hamlet located in the Forest of Dean. It lies between the village Bream and the town Lydney in Gloucestershire.It is an obscure and small area with around 30 houses and is relatively unknown even in the local area.-Local mythology:...
- YorkleyYorkley, GloucestershireYorkley is a village in west Gloucestershire, England.Near the town of Lydney, it has two pubs, a sub post office, few shops, a primary school and is home to Yorkley A.F.C and Yorkley Star Cricket Club.-References:***- External links :*...
- Pillowell
- OldcroftOldcroftOldcroft is a village in Gloucestershire, England....
- Viney Hill
- ParkendParkend, GloucestershireParkend is a village, located at the foot of the Cannop Valley, in the Royal Forest of Dean, West Gloucestershire, England, and has a history dating back to the early 17th century...
- Whitecroft
- Saunders Green
- Cannop
- Mosely Green & The Barracks