Place:Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, England

source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

source: Family History Library Catalog

the following text is based on an article in Wikipedia

Mitcheldean is a small town in the east of the Forest of Dean District of Gloucestershire, England which has been a thriving community for many centuries due to the town's proximity to iron ore deposits. During the 19th century, the town expanded due to revenues produced by the local brewing industry, while in the 20th century the town grew further due to the Rank Xerox photocopier factory. Although this industry significantly declined during the latter half of the 20th century, much of the former Rank Xerox site (now Vantage Point Business Village) is now occupied by small businesses, new manufacturing and distribution businesses.

A 19th century description

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of Mitcheldean from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72:

"MITCHELDEAN, MITCHELL-DEAN, or DEAN-MAGNA, a village and a parish in Westbury-on-Severn [registration] district, Gloucester. The village stands in Dean Forest, 1 mile E of the boundary with Hereford, 2 S of Mitcheldean Road [railway] station, and 5 NNW of Newnham; is an ancient place; takes its name partly from the word "mickle" or great, and partly from its situation in Dean forest; and has a post office, of the name of Mitcheldean, under Newnham, a good inn, a police station, and fairs on Easter Monday and 12 Oct. The parish comprises 680 acres. Real property: £2,637. Population: 689. Houses: 144. The property is divided among a few. The manor and much of the land belong to the representatives of the 1ate Maynard Colchester, Esq. The Wilderness is the seat of Mrs. H. Davis. Coal and iron ore are worked in the neighbourhood. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Value: £176. Patrons: the representatives of the late M. Colchester. The church is chiefly later English; was recently restored; consists of nave, S aisle, two N aisles, chancel, and porch, with tower and lofty spire; and contains an ancient font, some wall-paintings of the time of Edward IV., and several old monuments. There are an Independent chapel, an endowed school with £81 a year, and charities £27.

Registration Districts

• Westbury-on-Severn Registration District (1837 - 1937)
• Forest of Dean Registration District (1937 - 2006)
• Gloucestershire Registration District (2006 - )

Research Tips

• Gloucestershire Archives in Gloucester is where paper and microfilm copies of all records for this part of Gloucestershire are stored.

Online sources which may also be helpful:

Volume 5, Chapter 3 of the Victoria County History of Gloucestershire found in the website British History Online expands on the subjects of freemining and foresters throughout the Hundred of St Briavels. The chapter includes maps of the various communities and their relationships to one another.There is an article specifically on Mitcheldean.

• GENUKI gives pointers to other archive sources as well as providing some details on each parish in the county. The emphasis here is on ecclesiastical parishes (useful before 1837)
• A listing of all the Registration Districts in England and Wales since their introduction in 1837 and tables of the parishes that were part of each district and the time period covered with detailed notes on changes of parish name, mergers, etc. Respect the copyright on this material.
• The FamilySearch Wiki for Gloucestershire provides a similar but not identical series of webpages to that provided by GENUKI
• A Vision of Britain through Time has a group of pages of statistical facts for almost every parish in the county