ABOUT MITCHELDEAN

Mitcheldean (10 miles east of Gloucester), on the eastern edge of the Forest of Dean was called Dean until the 13th century, afterwards it was generally known as Mitchel Dean or Great Dean to distinguish it from the other "Deans" (Mitchell is from the Old English word "Mickle" = Great, and Dean or Dene = Vale, especially a deep, narrow, wooded valley).

Granted a market in 1328, Mitcheldean was a centre for industries based on the products of the adjacent Forest - coal, timber, iron and wool. The town grew up around a crossroad where the road from Littledean to Ross - possibly the old Roman road from Lydney crossed a road serving the north of the Forest.

A cross was erected in 1430 at the junction, it incorporated a covered area in the mid 17th C and displayed a clock by the mid 18th. The 17th C. George Inn and the splendid 13th C. Church of St.Micheal (rebuilt in 1852) are to be found here. The church is one of the largest in the Forest of Dean with a very long, tall spire, a nave, and three aisles and an enormous reredos with life size white marble figures. The Doom painting over the screen is of high quality, the superb east windows by John Hayward were added in 1970.

The town prospered in the 17th century but was in decline as an industrial centre and market by the end if the 18th, although Mitcheldean maintained a strong brewing industry! With the decline the town settled into a more limited economic role principally as a service and retail centre. The town offered scope to professional men; in 1842 there were 3 Lawyers and 4 Doctors.

After the Second World War Rank Xerox Ltd opened a factory in the town and became a major influence on Mitcheldean`s expansion as a residential area.