Whitecroft
Whitecroft is a village in the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. It is located in-between Bream and Yorkley. Whitecroft comes under the postal district of Lydney.
The village has 2 pubs – The Miners Arms and The Royal Oak. Both provide food, drink and accommodation. Whitecroft railway station, part of the Dean Forest Railway, is near the Miners Arms.
History[]
Cottages are recorded at Whitecroft in the 1780s.[1] A chapel at Whitecroft dates from 1824.[1] By 1834 terraces containing 30 cottages had been built on either side of the Severn & Wye tramroad (later railway) for employees in the Parkend collieries – they were demolished in the 20th century.[1] In 1841 there were three beerhouses at Whitecroft – one of which has become the Miners' Arms inn.[2] Whitecroft has a memorial hall dating from 1924.[2] The village had a successful rugby club before the World War I and a male voice choir in the mid 20th century.[2] The village continued to expand throughout the 20th century when estates of private and council houses were built.[1]
In the early 17th century there were ironworks on Cannop brook at Whitecroft.[3] They remained in operation until the Crown sold them in 1674 for demolition, to preserve the woodland of the Forest.[3] Whitecroft had two corn mills in the early 19th century.[3] One of the mills, in the west part of Whitecroft remained in operation until 1970.[3] In the 19th century there were several coal mines in the area, including Park Gutter west of Whitecroft, and Princess Royal colliery between Whitecroft and Bream's Eaves.[3] There was a factory on the south side of Whitecroft in 1866, and other workshops and industrial sites developed in the 20th century.[1] On the Bream road several brick buildings put up in the early 20th century for Princess Royal colliery still survive.[1]
Whitecroft railway station opened in 1875 as part of the Severn and Wye Railway.[3] The station closed in 1929. It was re-opened to passengers on 25 May 2012 as part of the Dean Forest Railway.[4]
Football club[]
The club currently have three teams competing in the North Gloucestershire Football League and play their home games at Grove Road; however, the third team play their home games at Lakers School. The club has enjoyed recent[when?] success in the cups and leagues over the years and have also seen the introduction of an under-15s team.
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f Forest of Dean: Settlement, Victoria County History
- ^ a b c Forest of Dean: Social life, Victoria County History
- ^ a b c d e f Forest of Dean: Industry, Victoria County History
- ^ "Restored Whitecroft Railway Station officially opened". BBC News Gloucestershire. BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
External links[]
Media related to Whitecroft at Wikimedia Commons
- Villages in Gloucestershire
- Forest of Dean