Forest of Dean Research

The Forest of Dean, has since 1016 has been the property of the Crown, originally the area was known as the "king’s hunting ground in Gloucestershire"
The Forest of Dean was once a royal hunting and used for no other purpose, it was not intended that common folk should live within its boundaries. Many Norman and Plantagenet king's hunted deer and wild boar here; no one else was officially allowed to do so, but, of course, some did. For these reasons it was sparsely populated.

As the Forest itself became populated, areas named West Dean and East Dean came into being but still ex-parochial (not controlled by the church). From the early 1800’s onwards new churches were built around the old Forest.

Mining of iron ore and coal in the Forest led to family links with other mining areas, in particular with South Wales e.g. Bream had links with Blackwood and Pontypool.

To find information, you may need to look in places that at first glance may not be obvious. For that reason, we have reproduced the following information on registration districts

• Monmouth
  Created 1st July 1837. Mainly in Monmouthshire, but included parts of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.
  Sub-districts : Coleford; Dingestow; Monmouth; Trelleck; West Dean.
  GRO* volumes : XXVI (1837-51); 11a (1852-1930).
  English Bicknor, Newland, Staunton, West Dean.
  Registers now divided between Torfaen, Monmouth, Forest of Dean and Ross districts
  
  
• Chepstow
  Created 1st July 1837. Mainly in Monmouthshire, but included parts of Gloucestershire.
  Sub-districts : Chepstow; Lydney; Shire Newton.
  GRO* volumes : XXVI (1837-51); 11a (1852-1930).
  Alvington, Aylburton, Hewelsfield, Lancaut, Lydney, St. Briavels, Tidenham, Woolaston.
  Registers now divided between Newport and Forest of Dean districts.
  
  
• Westbury on Severn
  Created 1st July 1837.
  Sub-districts : East Dean; Huntley; Newnham.
  GRO* volumes : XI (1837-51); 6a (1852-1930).
  Abenhall, Awre, Blaisdon, Bulley, Churcham, East Dean, Flaxley, Hinders Lane and Dockham, Huntley, Lea Bailey (from 1890), Littledean, Longhope, Minsterworth, Mitcheldean, Newnham, Westbury on Severn.
  Registers now divided between Forest of Dean and Gloucester districts.
  
  
• Note:
  Newland and West Dean cover a similar area, Newland being the ancient name.
  Monmouth/Chepstow; being the registration districts for part of the Forest of Dean often means the need to look at Wales rather than England for some online census information, www.Ancestry.com is a prime example.