----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Ramsey" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 05 September 2002 18:56
Subject: Romans and Coal in the Bristol Area
< bit snipped out of here >
A coal store has been found in the remains of a Roman building at Camerton,
and the book which deals with this excavation (W J Wedlake, "Excavations at
Camerton, Somerset" (Camerton: Camerton Excavation Club, 1958)) claims that
coal has also been found on Roman sites at Chew Stoke, Low Ham, and
Clapton-in-Gordano in Somerset and at Woodchester and Great Witcombe in
Gloucestershire.
The best place to look for further information might be the archaeology
department at Bristol University.
Keith Ramsey
< and a bit out of here >
Keith
I was fascinated to learn that coal may have been mined in Woodchester (I
assume that's the village between Stroud and Nailsworth) and Great Witcombe.
As some list members will know, I am involved in a project near Woodchester.
I wondered if it was possible that coal could have been mined in the
Nailsworth area as there is a road there called Collier's Close. When I
asked about this on the list a few years ago, no-one seemed to think it
likely, but maybe it is possible that there was coal mining there (even if
it was only small scale and probably open cast).
Woodchester Mansion (see web page below) has many fireplaces and would have
had to have a large supply of coal and/or wood to keep the place warm (that
is if it was ever completed). The family that lived on that site before were
the Ducies, who moved to Tortworth in the 1840s. They lived in Tortworth
Court (which is now a 4 star hotel incidentally) and I am sure that I
remember reading somewhere that there was a railway line to Tortworth Court
to supply the Ducies with coal. However I have not been able to trace where
I read this again since. Has anyone else (apart from Dave Hardwick) hear of
this.
A member of BIAS told me a few months ago that he is fairly sure that the
Ducies had their own gas-works to provide coal gas to Tortworth Court and
that this would have been down the hill below the house. That would put the
gas-works near to where the M5 now runs along past Falfield. Has anyone
heard of this before?
While on about various odds and ends another query to finish - in Whitfield
(on the A38 where the B4061 joins it north of Thornbury) there is a road
called Iron Hogg Lane. There is evidence of iron works in this area, but
what was an iron hogg?
Well, several questions there!
Roger
www.woodchestermansion.org.uk
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