Robin Hood Land Pit (Forest of Dean)

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
Locality
Coordinate 51.803091, -2.641114
Adm. div. Gloucestershire
Vicinity c. 225 m SW of Staunton Road (A4136) and c. 250 m W of Staunton Road (B4228)?
Type Establishment
Interest Robin Hood name
Status Extant
First Record 1871?
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Possible site of the land pit.
Possible site of the land pit indicated with a yellow tack / Google Earth Street View.

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2018-10-22. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-02-13.

Robin Hood Land Pit was one of the two pits operated at the Robin Hood Iron Mine in the Forest of Dean. The mine is said to have started in 1871 and was certainly in operation by 1884, but IRHB is not aware if the land pit dates from that time.

According to Wikipedia's article on the village of Coleford, the mine began operation in 1871,[1] and this may well be correct though no source is cited. The mine was certainly in operation by 1884, probably by 1880, for it is shown on a 6" O.S. map of the area published in 1884, based on surveying carried out 1879-80 (see Maps below). The coordinates indicated are based on a map grid suggested by Tony Oldham.[2] IRHB has tentatively accepted this, although it is not without problems. The map grid Oldham suggests for the deep pit is very close to that for the land pit. However, the deep pit must have been located where the O.S. maps have "Robin Hood Iron Pit", "Robinhood Iron Mine" or similar, about 150 meters ENE of the area suggested by Oldham (see maps listed below). If the grid reference for the deep pit is not correct, perhaps that for the other also is not?[3]

Gazetteers

Sources

Maps

Background

Also see

Notes