Cinderford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cinderford |
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 Miners' Tribute, by Antony Dufort |
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 Cinderford Baptist Chapel |
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 Cinderford
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| Population | 8,777 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SO6513 |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Cinderford |
| Postcode district | GL14 |
| Dialling code | 01594 |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Cinderford is a town located on the eastern edge of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. In 2021, about 8,777 people lived there.
The town began in the 1800s. This happened because the Forest of Dean Coalfield grew very quickly. Also, the Cinderford Ironworks was built. You can still see how the town started by looking at its design. It has long rows of similar terraced housing. These look a lot like the homes in the mining villages of the South Wales Valleys. In the 1950s and 1960s, the coal industry started to decline. This really affected Cinderford, as most men in the town worked in mining.
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Cinderford's History
The name Cinderford was first used in 1258. It means a place where you can cross a river. The name comes from early iron-making. This process left behind piles of cinders, which are like ash or clinker.
How Cinderford Grew
After the Cinderford Ironworks was built around 1797, and big mines opened nearby, the town was planned out. By 1841, Cinderford had two inns and many beerhouses. A new church, St. John the Evangelist, was built in 1844. The town also had a large Baptist church by 1843. Methodists and Primitive Methodists also had chapels. There was even a special iron building called the Ark, used by the Blue Ribbon Gospel Army.
Iron and Coal Industries
An iron furnace was set up around 1797. It used coke brought from a nearby area by a short canal. This furnace struggled and closed after ten years. It reopened in 1829. By 1841, three furnaces were making 12,000 tons of iron each year. They employed 100 men and boys. The ironworks closed for good in 1894.
By the 1840s, Cinderford had many small factories. These made metal parts for the mining industry. Metal work remained important in the early 1900s.
For many years, coal mining was the main job. Lightmoor coal mine was being made deeper in the late 1830s. Trafalgar colliery was a big mine run by local miners. It closed in 1925. Another deep mine, Northern United, started in 1933. However, Lightmoor was the main mine until it closed in 1940. Many smaller coal mines still operated. They employed most of the adult men in Cinderford. But the coal industry declined in the 1960s.
Iron ore mines also operated near the town. They closed in 1899 when the Cinderford ironworks shut down.
The Bear Incident
On April 26, 1889, a strange event happened. Four Frenchmen and their two tame bears were going to Ruardean. They had just performed in Cinderford. A crowd attacked them. The crowd was angry because of false rumors. They believed the bears had killed a child and hurt a woman. The bears were sadly killed, and the Frenchmen were badly beaten.
Soon, it became clear that the bears had not attacked anyone. The police investigated. Thirteen local men were charged with hurting and killing the bears, and attacking the Frenchmen. Most were found guilty. They had to pay fines. The Frenchmen also received money to make up for what happened. For many years, people would ask "Who killed the bears?" This was used as an insult, especially towards people from Ruardean. However, all those found guilty were from Cinderford.
Town Trail
School pupils have created the Cinderford Town Trail. This trail celebrates the town's history.
Local Government
Cinderford has two electoral areas. These areas choose local representatives.
Learning in Cinderford
Primary Schools
Cinderford has three primary schools:
- Steam Mills Primary School
- St. White's Primary School
- Forest View Primary School, which is on Latimer Road. Forest View was formed by joining two older schools.
Secondary School
Cinderford has one secondary school. It is called The Forest High School. It is on Causeway Road. This school used to be known as Heywood Community School. Before that, it was Double View Secondary Modern School. The school moved to its current site in the 1970s. Its name changed several times over the years.
College Education
Gloucestershire College opened in Cinderford in 2018. It is located near the Forest Vale Industrial Estate.
Getting Around Cinderford
Cinderford's main roads, High Street and Belle Vue Road, are part of the A4151. This road connects to the A48, which goes to Gloucester and Chepstow.
In the past, Cinderford had a railway station. It was run by the Great Western Railway and Midland Railway. But the train service stopped in 1958.
Today, Cinderford has regular bus services. You can take a bus to Gloucester and Coleford. The old bus station was taken down in the late 1980s.
The closest airports are in Staverton (between Gloucester and Cheltenham), Bristol Airport, and Cardiff Airport.
Places of Worship
The Church of England in Cinderford has three parish churches:
- St Stephen's Church covers the town center and northern parts of Cinderford.
- St John the Evangelist Church covers the south of Cinderford, Ruspidge, and Soudley.
- St Ethelbert's Littledean Church serves the community in Littledean.
Media in Cinderford
Dean Radio is a local radio station. It broadcasts from the town.
The local newspaper for Cinderford is called The Forester.
Sports Teams
- Cinderford Town A.F.C. - This is the town's local Non-League football team.
- Cinderford R.F.C. - This is the town's local Rugby Team.
Famous People from Cinderford
- Dame Muriel Betty Powell (1914–1978) was a British nurse. She was born in Cinderford. She became a very important nursing leader in Scotland.
- Jimmy Young (1921–2016) was a famous DJ for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. He was born in Cinderford.
- John McAfee (1945–2021) was a computer programmer and businessman. He was born in Cinderford.
See also
In Spanish: Cinderford para niños
