Camp Mill, Soudley, Gloucestershire, England, Tel: +44 01594822170

Street View of Dean Heritage Centre | Map of Dean Heritage Centre location

The Dean Heritage Centre has five galleries and a library to explore inside the Museum and numerous displays and attractions to discover outside. The Museum of the Forest comprises 5 galleries. These explore the history of the Forest from the Ice Age to the present day. The Gage Library contains over 18,000 historic records and archives and is the perfect place to search out local history enquiries or trace your family history roots. Local historians will be more than happy to help you with any research questions you may have. The Gage Library is open to the public on Monday and Wednesday afternoon's between 2pm-4pm. Telephoning for an appointment is recommended. Outside displays include the The Forester's Cottage, an accurately reconstructed Victorian home with open fire and garden. In the cottage grounds you'll find a pair of Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, chickens and local varieties of orchard trees. The Charcoal Burner's Camp is situated in the woodlands, adjacent to the Museum and is where demonstrations of traditional turf and earth charcoal burning take place. The charcoal burners hut is used during these burns as a place of shelter and sleep for those doing the night shifts. The Freemine is dug into the side of a hill, and is a replica of a traditional Forest of Dean coalmine, as used by Freeminers. The Adventure Playground- follow the woodland path along the Soudley brook and you'll discover a woodland adventure playground with lots of things to do and play on! Picnic sites and barbeque pits are also available (a perfect opportunity to sample our home-made charcoal) or why not just sit and enjoy our mill pond and watch the moorhens, mallard and mandarin ducks at play! ....