Robin Hood Land Pit (Forest of Dean)
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? |
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
- Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 293-311.
Sources
- Aditnow forum: Robin Hood Deep Pit Iron Mine (United Kingdom)
- Aditnow forum: Robin Hood Land Pit Iron Mine (United Kingdom)
- Mining History Research & Exploration: Index of mines in the Forest of Dean; click 'Forest of Dean' link.
Maps
- 25" O.S. map Monmouthshire XV.2 (c. 1882; surveyed 1880). (No copy in NLS)
- 25" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX.15 (1895; surveyed 1879-80)
- 25" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX.15 (1902; rev. 1900)
- 25" O.S. map Monmouthshire XV.2 (1902; rev. 1900) (georeferenced)
- 25" O.S. map Monmouthshire XV.2 (1902; rev. 1900)
- 25" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX.15 (1922; rev. 1920)
- 6" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX.SE (1884; surveyed 1878-80)
- 6" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX.SE (1903; rev. 1900) (georeferenced)
- 6" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX.SE (1903; rev. 1900)
- 6" O.S. map Monmouthshire XV.NW (1903; rev. 1900)
- 6" O.S. map Monmouthshire XV (1924; rev. 1918)
- 6" O.S. map Gloucestershire XXX (1924; rev. 1920-21)
- Map of the Railways of the Forest of Dean (1894); pit included on Staunton section as "Robin Hood".
Background
- Transcript of interview with 88 year old former miner Mervyn Fox, conducted 30 Oct. 2015 by Jonathan Wright, sound Engineer: Jason Griffiths
- Wikipedia: Staunton, near Coleford, Gloucestershire.
Also see
- Forest of Dean place-name cluster
- Robin Hood Iron Mine place-name cluster
- Places named Robin Hood's Mine
- Robinhood place-names.
Notes
- ↑ Wikipedia: Staunton, near Coleford, Gloucestershire.
- ↑ Mining History Research & Exploration: Index of mines in the Forest of Dean.
- ↑ The decimal coordinates cited for the pits on their respective pages in the Aditnow forum are clearly based on Oldham's grid references: Aditnow forum: Robin Hood Deep Pit Iron Mine (United Kingdom); Aditnow forum: Robin Hood Land Pit Iron Mine (United Kingdom).
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