Archaeological in the Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service has recently completed an archaeological Research Framework for Forest of Dean district in west Gloucestershire.

Area covered by the research framework

 

An enormous amount of new archaeological information about the Forest of Dean has come to light in recent years.

The Research Framework was funded by Historic England and is the culmination of Stage 4 of the Forest of Dean Archaeological Survey. It takes account of the enormous amount of new archaeological information about the Forest of Dean which has come to light in recent years, not only from that survey, but also from other large-scale research projects (such as the Severn Estuary Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment and four National Mapping Programme projects), smaller-scale development-led archaeological projects and other research, and also discussion with a number of specialists who were consulted during the Research Framework’s preparation.

The Research Framework broadly follows the model set out in Frameworks for our Past (Olivier 1996), and consists of a Resource Assessment which summarises the current state of knowledge and describes the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental resource in the Forest of Dean. This is followed by a Research Agenda which identifies gaps in that knowledge and what research is needed to address these, and sets out research priorities (which may be flexible over time) for the district and identifies suitable methodologies for future research.

Forest of Dean district is within the area covered by the Regional Research Agenda of the South West Archaeological Research Framework (Webster 2008) which includes a wide range of overarching Research Aims covering methodological approaches, and addressing period- or theme-based issues for the region. The Forest of Dean Research Agenda does not replace the South West Archaeological Research Framework but operates within it by adopting the same thematic approach and highlighting those themes and research aims which are of particular relevance to the Forest of Dean. It also takes account of other research agendas relevant to the Forest of Dean particularly the National Association of Historical Mining Organisations research agenda for the Archaeology of the Extractive Industries (Newman 2016), and the Historical Metallurgy Society’s archaeometallurgical research agenda (Bayley et al 2008).

The Forest of Dean Research Framework is available as a pdf document from

http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/16569/forest-of-dean-gloucestershire-research-framework-2017.pdf

References

Bayley, J, Crossley, D and Ponting M 2008 Metals and Metalworking. A Research Framework for Archaeometallurgy, The Historical Metallurgy Society, Occasional Paper No. 6

Newman, P (ed) 2016 The Archaeology of Mining and Quarrying in England. A Research Framework for the Archaeology of the Extractive Industries in England, Resource Assessment and Research Agenda, National Association of Mining History Organisations in association with Historic England

Olivier, A 1996 Frameworks for Our Past: a review of research frameworks, strategies and perceptions. English Heritage. http://www.eng-h.gov.uk/frameworks/

Webster, C J (ed) 2008 The Archaeology of South West England, South, West Archaeological Research Framework, Resource Assessment and Research Agenda, Somerset County Council.

 

John Hoyle, Senior Project Officer,

Heritage Team, Gloucestershire County Council