Phelps Meadow (General)

by Antipodean , Thursday, May 31, 2012, 13:45 (4562 days ago)

Does anyone have any history, or even current knowledge of, Phelps Meadow. It appears on old maps from 1700 and 1787 in the wonderful FoD Interpretative Center, but had disappeared by the time of the 'Manderley Map of the Forest of Dean'.

Its boundaries, before being planted for masts for the King's flotilla were approximately between Speech House Hotel in the north and what is now The Barracks to the south. Cannop Ponds was on the western boundary and Ruspidge to the east. However, by 1920, Saintlow Inclosure occupied most of the central and eastern portion, Staple-edge wood the southern portion and Russels Inclosre the western portion.

The clearing that I believe may be the last remnant is about 2.1 km south of Speech House or 1.2 km north of the Parkend/Barracks bus stop. It is on the western side of the sealed bitumen road and is about 100 m by 100 m in size - a far cry short of the few thousand acres that it started as.