26 January 2007
Volunteer archaeologists delve into Wentwood's industial past
Chepstow enthusiasts search for that elusive piece of evidence that will date the last charcoal burn
If you go down to Wentwood this winter, don’t be surprised if you see a group of 6-12 dedicated archaeologists, on hands and knees with their sleeves rolled up, excavating part of Wentwood Forest’s industrial archaeology!
The group are members of the Chepstow Archaeological Society, who are excavating one of the 100-odd old charcoal hearths known to exist at Wentwood, in cooperation with the Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw), the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. The Trust completed the acquisition of 352 hectares (870 acres) of the site last year following a high profile public fundraising campaign.
As Wales’ largest remaining ancient forest (1), Wentwood has been exploited for its timber throughout the centuries. Through the middle ages, wood from the forest was burned in charcoal hearths to produce the charcoal that was essential to the iron industry – a process immortalised in Arthur Ransome’s 1930 classic Swallows and Amazons.
But no one is sure how long this industry lasted in Wentwood, and to what extent the old hearths which are still visible were the result of a one-off onslaught of felling over a short period – or sustainable industry over the decades (2). To try to answer the question, Jon Winder of the Woodland Trust, who manages the site, has asked the Chepstow Archaeological Society to excavate one of the hearths, towards the western end of the Trust’s holding.
Felicity Taylor of the Chepstow Archaeological Society says: “We like to think of ourselves as a hands-on archaeological group. We are always looking for interesting excavations, so it was a good opportunity to get the chance to dig at Wentwood.
“We have had about 12 volunteers on the first day, people of all ages. We go on a Saturday and take a picnic. We’re excavating a 10m hearth and we’re now down to the layer left by the last charcoal burners. We hope to find something to date it, but we also intend to explore below this layer to see if the same site had been used by previous burners.
“It’s great fun. If anyone is interested in joining the group they could contact me on 01600 775656 or go to our website www.chepstow.org.uk”.
The Woodland Trust is grateful to everyone who helped with the campaign to acquire Wentwood Forest. The Trust had to raise at least £1.5 million to secure the site and start its restoration. This support includes contributions and grants from The Tubney Charitable Trust, GrantScape, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Hickinbotham Charitable Trust, the Oak Foundation, a number of other charitable trusts and a huge number of individuals, many of them from the local community, who supported the campaign.
The Woodland Trust’s land at Wentwood Forest is open for the public to visit at any time, for free. The Trust produces a regular newsletter about Wentwood and its restoration work at the site, which is available from the special Wentwood Forest website at: www.wentwoodforest.org.uk
For media enquiries contact:
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 01766 832563 or 07760 171174 Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Or John Winder of the Woodland Trust on 01600 719281
Or The Woodland Trust Press Office email media@woodland-trust.org.uk or Tel 01476 581121
Notes for editors
1. Ancient woodland is defined as land that has been wooded for at least 400 years. It is the richest wildlife habitat in the UK and equivalent to the rainforest. Wentwood Forest is home to protected species like the dormouse, and thousands of other wildlife species including 23 species of native butterfly and 75 species of birds. The forest is the remnant of a vast woodland that once stretched from the river Usk in South Wales to the Wye Valley.
2. Oliver Rackham, a recognised expert in woodland archaeology, visited Wentwood and the local record office in 2005 and unearthed the following quote, from H J Massingham in 1952, which highlights the unsustainable use of Wentwood Forest in the past: “The last of Wentwood was felled in the war of 1939-45 ….. all has now been so savagely cut that hardly a tree is to be seen except the conifers of the Forestry Commission, themselves soon to be clear felled. Elsewhere I saw the voids where trees once stood, filled in with a litter of bramble, willow herb and tussocky whitegrass….. the whole area is a dismal derelict waste, an upland hell and the bleakest of monuments to man’s suicidal folly and cupidity ….. the acts of seventeenth century and contemporary man have transformed Wentwood from beauty and use to barrenness.”
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s awareness and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 1,580 hectares (3,900 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.coed-cadw.org.uk The Trust adopted a new Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.
