Geoff

After closing it’s doors as the Wyndham Arms Inn three years ago and abandoning it’s historic name, the Inn and the Wyndham name are set to return to Clearwell. After a spell as a guest house called The Clearwell and another spell as Crosswell House the new name is the Wyndham Country Inn.

Many of the buildings we see in Clearwell today are the legacy of a Clearwell girl born Caroline Wyndham. She returned to the village in her later years as Caroline, Dowager Countess of Dunraven.
In the late 1800’s she engaged architect John Middleton and had St Peter’s church and a small cottage hospital built. She helped with building the village school, repairing the village Cross and Well and re-building the Mortuary Chapel. She also restored her childhood home, Clearwell Castle. Many people will therefore welcome the return of her family name to the village.

Nine pairs of Pine Marten from Scotland have been released in remote locations in the Forest of Dean. To keep a track on progress these Pine Marten are wearing radio collars.

Forestry England added that Pine Marten at low density (population) forage on fruit, fungi and a range of prey including grey squirrel.

They are described as elusive and shy animals only having “a few kits each year” – so visitors will need to be very lucky to see them.

The viewpoint at New Fancy has received a well needed trim-up as some of the re-generative vegetation has been cut back. It is currently once again possible to get a glimpse of the Cotswolds if you know which way to look.

Recent felling in the Forest near Parkend has left the Charles II Oak looking out over an open hillside. Forestry England have an ongoing program of planting, thinning and ultimately harvesting of our Forests – but notable trees such as this one are spared. With the ongoing threat from diseases and climate change, the new neighbours to this old oak tree will likely be more diverse then their predecessors.