Dean Heritage Centre

12/08/2026

Don't forget the Museum and Coffee Shop are closed all day today.

IMPORTANT VISITOR NOTICE: CLOSED WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST

Please note that the Dean Heritage Centre and Heritage Coffee Shop will be closed all day on Wednesday 12th August due to the electricity being switched off across the wider Soudley area.

Unfortunately, this means we won’t be able to welcome visitors to the Centre or Coffee Shop that day.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and really appreciate your understanding.

The good news is that we’ll be open as usual on our other opening days, so we’d love to see you then. Whether you’re planning a family day out, exploring the history of the Forest of Dean or stopping by for coffee and something delicious, there’s still plenty of opportunity to visit us.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with anyone who may have been planning to visit on Wednesday.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

11/08/2026

🔥 IMPORTANT NOTICE: No BBQs or Fires in the Forest 🔥

With the current high risk of wildfires, we’re asking everyone visiting the Dean Heritage Centre and the wider Forest of Dean to please help us protect this beautiful place.

Please do not light BBQs, fires or disposable BBQs anywhere in the Forest at the moment.

Even a small spark can quickly become a serious wildfire in these dry conditions, putting the forest, wildlife, local communities and emergency services at risk.

If you’re visiting us, please enjoy your day, bring a picnic, explore the museum and woodland, and help us keep the Forest of Dean safe. 🌳

Please share this message so we can reach as many visitors as possible.

Thank you for helping to protect our Forest.

09/08/2026

IMPORTANT VISITOR NOTICE: CLOSED WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST

Please note that the Dean Heritage Centre and Heritage Coffee Shop will be closed all day on Wednesday 12th August due to the electricity being switched off across the wider Soudley area.

Unfortunately, this means we won’t be able to welcome visitors to the Centre or Coffee Shop that day.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and really appreciate your understanding.

The good news is that we’ll be open as usual on our other opening days, so we’d love to see you then. Whether you’re planning a family day out, exploring the history of the Forest of Dean or stopping by for coffee and something delicious, there’s still plenty of opportunity to visit us.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with anyone who may have been planning to visit on Wednesday.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

08/08/2026

We are looking for weekend Front of house volunteers here at the Dean Heritage Centre.
If you have been looking for volunteer opportunities in your local community we are the place for you, please contact [email protected]

07/08/2026

Who’s your favourite? 👀

The badger? The rabbit? The deer? The wild boar?

Honestly… we’re choosing all of them. 🦡🐇🦌🐗

Come face-to-face with some of the Forest of Dean’s most fascinating wildlife and discover the stories, creatures and history that make this area so special.

With five acres to explore, interactive exhibits, family activities, the Gruffalo Trail and plenty to discover, the Dean Heritage Centre is the perfect place for your next family adventure.

And the best part?

🎟️ Entry is completely FREE!

📍 Camp Mill, Soudley, Forest of Dean
🕙 Open every day, 10am–5pm

Send this to someone you want to explore with and tell us in the comments: which animal would your family choose?

05/08/2026

Many thanks to the family of Ted Nelmes for kindly donating a bench to Dean Heritage Centre in memory of their relative. On the photograph you can see the plaque ‘Ted Nelmes 1929-1999 Gone but not forgotten’. This will be a lovely bench for visitors to sit on with a great view of the pond.

Ted Nelmes, also known as Teddy and Edward Thomas Nelmes, was the son of coal miner and free miner, Stanley Nelmes. Ted never married and was a real character with a strong Forest accent. He died in 1999 at the age of 70. He grew up and continued to live at Hazeldene in Gorsty Knoll and worked as a Public Health Inspector and also created architectural drawings.

Ted was a fundraiser for the memorial to the 1902 Union Pit disaster of a stone carving of the two brothers, Thomas and Amos James who lost their lives during the disaster. Ted was present at the dedication of the memorial in 1996. He was presented with a plaque and original sketches of the carving by sculptor Matt Baker to recognise his efforts as the main fund raiser of the memorial. The family also kindly donated other items that had belonged to Ted, including a freeminers brass, a newspaper clipping of the 1902 Union Pit disaster memorial service in August 1996 and a newspaper article from 1986 featuring a photograph of the survivors of the Union Pit disaster of 1902.

01/08/2026

Object of the month 🔍 - Lightmoor Beam Engine

Beam engines transformed coal mining in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This type of engine made large-scale deep mining possible. It could sink vertical mine shafts, drain deep mines and lift huge quantities of dirt and coal from the mine.

In the Forest of Dean, these industrial advances led to the replacement of small drift mines with large industrial collieries. Lightmoor Colliery opened in 1832 and was owned by Henry Crawshay & Co. Ltd. In 1899, it was one of the largest collieries in the Forest, employing more than 600 men. By 1906, the colliery was producing between 800 and 900 tons of coal each day.

The Lightmoor Beam Engine was built on the site of the Dean Heritage Centre in the early 1820s, when Camp Mill operated as an iron foundry run by Samuel Hewlett. It remained in use at Lightmoor Colliery until its closure in 1940, after which the engine was dismantled and sent to the National Museum of Wales. It was later returned to the Forest and restored as a working engine for display at the Dean Heritage Centre. Today, it is the only surviving example of those once used in the Forest.

Plan your next visit to the museum here - https://www.deanheritagecentre.org/visit-us

28/07/2026

Get a closer look at local history with our Museum Gallery Tours, led by our knowledgeable volunteer guides.

Our free guided tours run weekly
Tuesdays at 11:00 & 14:00 (booking only during school holidays)
Thursdays at 11:30 & 13:30

Find out more - https://www.deanheritagecentre.org/event-details-registration/guided-tours-2026-07-28-11-00

28/07/2026

A gentle summer visit, surrounded by history and woodland.
Wander through the galleries, enjoy the grounds and finish with a coffee overlooking the mill pond.

Take your time, enjoy the stories of the Forest and make a day of it.

Plan your next visit - https://www.deanheritagecentre.org/visit-us

27/07/2026

Summer Holiday Activity - Decorate your own fairy door 🧚🌲
Friday 31st of July 10:00-13:00 - £2.50 per child

Children will be provided with two wooden fairy doors to paint, decorate and take home to their garden. This activity is aimed at children ages 3 to 10, but everyone is welcome.

✨Booking recommended - https://www.deanheritagecentre.org/event-details-registration/decorate-your-own-fairy-door