Ruardean
Ruardean is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, to the west of Cinderford. It is located on a hillside with sights west in the direction of the hills of South Wales. Bit now remains of the town's commercial history, once it was a centre for iron ore smelting heaters, builds as well as coal mines. The Norman castle, currently little greater than a mound, regulated the shortest route from Gloucester Castle to the Welsh Marches as well as the Wye Valley. The town has been, in times past, an essential centre of iron and coal mining, though little proof remains of this element of the village's background. The major historic spots of the town is Ruardyn Castle, close to the parish church. In the past the town was spelt as Ruardyn and also belonged to Herefordshire. Nowadays the village exists inside Gloucestershire and belongs to the Forest of Dean district. Like much of the bordering area, Ruardean has actually traditionally been fairly bad; the 1831 demographics records 127 families, with half the populace employed in farming and also 160 individuals on poor relief.