the Seat of Sir Thomas Crawley Bovey. This valley was formerly called
_Castiard_, or the _Happy Valley_; and a Monastery, for Cistercian Monks,
was founded here by Roger, the second Earl of Hereford, and the charter
confirmed by Henry II. The Abbey was standing till the year 1777, when
part of it was unfortunately consumed by fire; since that a considerable
portion of building has been added, and is become a very desirable summer
residence. The Views from the park, behind the house, are very
extensive, commanding the Vale of Gloucester, and the River Severn, gay
with vessels, whilst the extensive Forest of Dean, and Flaxley Abbey,
form nearer objects for admiration. This wood abounds with the most
charming walks; and, while it affords refreshing shelter from a summer’s
sun, admits partial views of the adjacent country. Camden, in speaking
of the Forest of Dean, derives its name from Ardene, a wood in the Gaulic
and British languages. It lies between the two rivers Severn and Wye,
and contains thirty thousand acres. The soil is well adapted for the
growth of oaks, and forest timber; and the situation particularly
commodious for exporting it for ship-building, and other purposes. The
immense quantities of wood annually felled for the use of the navy, have
so thinned this wood of its timber, that it is now preserved till a
certain growth by act of parliament. Camden observes, that the oak of
this Forest was so considerable, that the Spanish Armada had orders to
destroy the timber of it in 1588: it suffered considerably in the great
rebellion.
The Iron Manufactory has long been carried on in this Forest; and to this
day immense beds of iron cinders are found, the reliques of the Romans.
These cinders are not half exhausted of their ore, and are consequently
worked over again: a proof that the Romans knew only the weak power of
the foot blast.