This is
an ancient rite that goes back in history to at least the 13th Century,
and beyond. A common phase used is "Time Beyond Memory". It is known that
iron ore and stone were mined before the Romans came to England.
It was the Romans that
extensively worked the iron ore mines, as the iron ore was of good quality
and there was a plentiful supply of wood to make charcoal for smelting.
The remains of these workings can be seen in the Dean today. They are locally
called Scowles and several Roman artefacts have been found in and around
them.
It is said that due to the expertise
of the Forest Miners in the 13th century, -- Edward the King of England
used them to undermine the defences of the Scots at Berwick thus bringing
about their defeat — that the Forest of Dean miners received a special
privilege.
"That all those born within
The Hundreds of St. Briavels' and have worked in a mine for a year and
a day and are over twenty one have the right to apply to the Gaveller for
a Gale". A gale is a parcel of land that is leased to the miner on the
payment of an annul rent and an agreed royalty on the minerals mined. The
Gaveller and Deputy Gaveller are the Crown's representatives who
oversee the mining and quarrying by Free Miners, and collect such royalties
that are due.
These Free Miners have their
own Courts to settle disputes. Originally these Courts were held before
the Constable of St. Briavels at St. Briavels Castle. Later the Court
was moved to the Speech House in the centre of the Forest, also where The
Verderors hold their courts.
Hopewell Mine is an old Freemine and
it gives an insight as to some of the conditions that the Freeminers worked
in. In the museum are articles about the Freeminers.
The owner of this mine is a Freeminer and
has a working freemine near by.
The Forest of Dean coalfield is
similar to a saucer where the coal outcrops at the edge and the deeper
seems are towards the centre. The free mines usually go into the side of
hill or down an incline, invariably following the seem of coal or iron.
Most of these small mines are near the edge of the coalfield or where the
coal is near the surface. The actual mining of coal by a free miner is
very hard.
The way to ventilate
a drift or level in those days was to dig an air shaft up to the surface,
then light a fire at the base so as to drag fresh air in from the
entrance of the mine. In 1886 one of my uncles was suffocated in a local
level mine as unknown to him and the others an air shaft had become blocked,
the smoke and fumes could not escape and they died.
Successive Governments of England
have tried to have these ancient rites of the Freeminers curtailed. They
have tried to bring them under the control of the Coal Authority,
trying to impose a form of licensing, extra to what is already in place
since the 1800's.
The Freeminers Association are
fighting this with every ancient law they can find.
Even now out Local Member of
Parliament is trying to safe guard the ancient customs and rights that
have been handed down to the foresters from time beyond memory, some dating
back to the 12th century
Due to new ways of registering
new births, no babies born in the Forest of Dean will have a Forest of
Dean birth certificate. All birth certificates will have Gloucestershire
as place of birth. So another part of our heritage has gone.
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