Gloucestershire's majestic Forest of Dean lies within a triangle between the River Severn on its east side and the famous Wye Valley on its west. Evidence of the first humans here is provided by the presence of megalithic standing stones from the Bronze Age; several hillforts survive from the Iron Age; and there are numerous signs of Roman occupation as they set about exploiting the area's natural reserves, iron-smelting and coal mining. In the medieval...