tiard Vale" is once more devoted wholly to the picturesque,
with the most pleasing effect, its beauty being yet further enhanced by a
well-placed and exquisitely designed church, erected a few yards to the
west of the one built by Mrs. Pope, after the designs of G. G. Scott,
Esq., in the Early Decorated style of pointed architecture. {191} It
comprises a richly ornamented chancel, nave, and north aisle, and a tower
surmounted with a broach spire. There is churchroom for about 300 of the
poor Foresters dwelling on Pope's Hill, as well as for the inhabitants of
the parish. It was consecrated on the 18th of September, 1856, by Dr.
Baring, Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, who preached on the occasion
from Eccl. v. 1, most of the surrounding gentry attending, and fifty of
the clergy. The present school-room was built in 1840, and accommodates
sixty scholars.

CHAPTER XII.

The Forest roads and railways--Vestiges of some very ancient roads,
apparently Roman--The old "crooked, winding, and cross ways," when no
wheeled vehicles were allowed in the Forest--The original road across the
Forest from Gloucester to Monmouth--Roads, first improvement in
1761--Road Act of 1795 carried into effect--Mitcheldean a post
town--Roads further improved in 1828 and 1841--their present state and
extent--The tramroads and railways of the Forest.

Unusually perfect remains of very ancient roads still exist in various
parts of the Forest, resembling those made by the Romans, being slightly
raised above the general level of the ground, and carefully pitched with
large block stones, not unfrequently a foot square. The most remarkable
of these is found along the vale below Puttern Edge, and called "Dean's
Road," where the pitching remains in many places, being about eight feet
in width. Although no coins have been found near it, yet its direction,
indicating a connexion between the old iron-works above Sowdley, and the
neighbourhood of Lydney, suggests that it was used in ancient times when
the minerals of the district were carried from place to place on
packhorses. Another road, yet traceable, gives the name of "Kymin"
(Chemin) to a hill opposite Monmouth, the slopes of which it ascends in
the direction of the Forest; and a third is partially preserved in a lane
leading amongst the cottages at Little Dean's Woodside: it is called by
the inhabitants "the Causeway," being yet partly paved, and uniting with
another road, which is still