Rumour has it that Puzzlewood sparked the imagination of author JRR Tolkien and that it inspired his vivid rendering of the forests of Middle-earth in Lord of the Rings.
Whether this is true or not, take a walk in Puzzlewood today and it’s easy to imagine yourself in the magical and otherworldly realm of Lothlórien where elves are hiding somewhere just out of sight. Puzzlewood is a truly unique place, but why is it so different to any other wooded area? Step back in time with us, if you will…
It’s all about geology (at least to begin with)
The weird and wonderful rocky formations that give Puzzlewood its distinctive appearance are known as scowles. Scowles are the result of erosion. Millions of years ago marine sediments were deposited across areas of land, including the Forest of Dean, forming carboniferous limestone. Its permeability allowed water to erode the rock and led to the creation of a natural underground cave system. Over time, uplift – vertical elevation of the surface in the same way that mountains were created – and erosion saw these caves gradually becoming exposed. The scowles themselves are over 4,000 years old.
Man and mining
Enter Iron Age man and the rock system was exploited for the extraction of iron ore, an activity that continued through to Roman times, so we know that settlers were shallow mining in and around Puzzlewood some 2,700 years ago – a fascinating thought that you could be walking in prehistoric footsteps! As for evidence of Romans, their presence in the area is well documented, but for real excitement you can’t get much better than a hoard of Roman-era coins. In 1848, workers at Puzzlewood discovered three earthenware jars, containing 3,000 coins, that had been hidden in a cavity within the rock formations – wow!
Mining is very much part of the Forest of Dean’s heritage. By the 16th century the Forest of Dean had become Britain’s largest iron producing area, and Puzzlewood’s limestone rock meant that shallow mining brought great rewards. During the industrial revolution, the Forest boasted both coal and iron mines and mining in the area continued up until the 1960s. It’s one of the reasons why we keep Shetland ponies at Puzzlewood – as well as being such lovely and friendly animals, they are a reminder of the past and the pit ponies that were used in the mines.
The birth of Puzzlewood as a visitor attraction
We think of destination sites as a very modern concept, a way of attracting visitors to a particular place – be it drawing crowds to an amusement park or finding ways of breathing new life into a medieval castle. So we think that one local landowner back in the 1800s was way beyond his time! He laid down over a mile of pathways through Puzzlewood with the aim of entertaining his family and friends – it must have been wonderful to have access to such an amazing private playground.
In the early 1900s, Puzzlewood was opened to the public. An honesty box was left at the gate, with proceeds generously donated to the local church in Clearwell. Since then, Puzzlewood has remained essentially unchanged. The paths you walk, the bridges you cross are the same ones that visionary landowner built. We believe strongly in protecting the unique character and heritage of Puzzlewood, but you’ll also find a few mod-cons – such as the café and play area, to make your visit even more pleasurable!
