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Puzzlewood facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Puzzlewood is located in Gloucestershire
Puzzlewood
Puzzlewood
Location in Gloucestershire
Puzzlewood
A typical scene inside Puzzlewood with tree roots, rocks, and moss
Puzzlewood (Andy Dingley)
A view of the unique landscape at Puzzlewood

Puzzlewood is a super cool ancient forest and a fun place to visit! It's located near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. This amazing place covers about 14 acres.

Long, long ago, even during the Roman times, people dug for iron ore here. They used a method called open cast mining, which means digging from the surface. In the early 1800s, over a mile of paths were built. These paths let people explore the woods and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Puzzlewood is famous for its strange rock shapes, hidden caves, and very old trees. It's like a natural maze, full of confusing paths!

Discover Puzzlewood's Geology

The unique rock formations you see at Puzzlewood are called scowles. Imagine natural caves that formed millions of years ago in Carboniferous Limestone. Over time, the land lifted up, and the earth wore away. This exposed the cave systems to the surface.

People from the Iron Age and Roman times used these exposed areas. They dug out the iron ore found within the scowles. It's hard to know exactly when they dug, but we know iron from the Forest of Dean was used for tools and weapons way back then.

Roman Coin Discovery

In 1848, something amazing happened at Puzzlewood! Workers found over 3,000 Roman coins. These coins were hidden inside three clay pots, tucked away in a secret spot within the rocks. No one knows for sure why or how these coins ended up there. It's a real mystery!

A Place for Stories

Puzzlewood has inspired many famous writers and filmmakers. J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, visited Puzzlewood. Some people think the magical and mysterious Forbidden Forest in her books might have been inspired by this very place!

Puzzlewood on Screen

Because of its unique and magical look, Puzzlewood is a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows. You might have seen it without even knowing!

Here are some famous films that used Puzzlewood as a location:

And here are some TV shows filmed there:

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Puzzlewood Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.