Journey online through the Story of the Forest

What if you needed to find out quickly what was happening in the Forest of Dean in the Middle Ages or when exactly the last deep mine in the Forest closed? Well now there is an easy way to explore our Forest facts and figures from 9000BC right through to the current day!

Two online ‘Timeline’ tools have been developed to engage, inform and entertain online audiences with the story of the Forest’s past, our present and a glimpse of some of our future.

Foresters’ Forest online Timeline: 

www.forestersforest.uk/forest-timeline  shows the ‘Story of the Forest’, as summarised by the combined efforts of Forest of Dean Local History Society, Forestry England and some projects within the Foresters’ Forest programme. 

Sue Middleton of Foresters’ Forest said: 

“Working with our projects the aim has been to create an engaging on-screen chronological narrative for the Forest! The timeline is a resource for local people, schools and colleges, and visitors, to find out more about the unique and special aspects of the Forest of Dean’s natural, cultural, built and buried heritage through the ages.” 

Reading the Forest literary history Timeline:

Alongside this ‘Reading the Forest’, supported by Foresters’ Forest and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, has also published a timeline showing the history of Forest of Dean books and authors http://www.readingtheforest.co.uk/historytimeline.html 

It includes publication dates and key quotations from books, birth dates of significant Forest authors, and other key events, such as the opening of The Forest Bookshop.

Reading the Forest’s Jason Griffiths said:

“This is the result of several years of research by the team, including our dedicated volunteers, so it’s great to be able to start sharing it. This format makes it easy to see how Forest books and authors relate to each other in time and to wider local and national historical events”. 

Both timelines are continuously being updated and suggestions for additions can be made through the Reading the Forest and Foresters’ Forest websites. 

Mary Sullivan, Chair of the Forest Of Dean Local History Society said: 

“The timeline is a fascinating new way to see the historical events in the Forest set in the context of the wider world. It is also a quick tool to check just what was happening when. I’m sure many people will be absorbed by this new way to find out local information.”

And commenting on the Timelines as a resource for schools, Simon Lusted, Headteacher of Lydbrook Primary School and the lead school for Foresters’ Forest says:

“I am very excited by the potential of both timelines in supporting and enhancing the learning of the pupils. They provide a visual guide to the developing history of the area over time which is very clear and easy to use and will provide an excellent resource for all schools in the Forest to support their curriculum plans in the teaching of local history.”

To access both timelines hop on to your mobile, tablet, laptop or PC today to explore the Forest through time today!

See: 

https://www.forestersforest.uk/forest-timeline

http://www.readingtheforest.co.uk/historytimeline.html