Deep Roots, Dark Earth: Freemining in the Forest of Dean
For centuries, the freeminers of the Forest of Dean have held a rare and ancient right, to mine coal wherever they find it beneath the forest floor. Freemining in the Forest of Dean was formally granted by King Edward I in the late 13th century, around 1296. The tradition likely existed informally before then, but Edward I officially recognised and granted the rights as a reward to local miners for their military service. As well as being competent excavators, freeminers of the Forest of Dean were also skilled with bows and arrows, and were called upon to fight in Edward’s campaigns against the Scots. In return for their service, they were given exclusive rights to mine coal, iron ore, and stone within the forest, free from feudal obligations. These rights were later reaffirmed by King Edward III and have been upheld in various legal statutes over the centuries. But today, only a handful remain, venturing underground in search of what they call "black gold."
Forestry England’s new short documentary, Deep Roots, Dark Earth, offers a rare glimpse into this tradition. The film follows Deputy Gaveller Dan Howell and freeminers Mike Howell and Phil Schwarz as they navigate the narrow, timber-lined tunnels of Wallsend Colliery, one of the last traditional mines still in operation.
Mining in the Forest of Dean is more than just a job, it’s a birthright. To become a freeminer, one must be over 21, born within the historic Hundred of St Briavels, and have worked underground for a year and a day. But with fewer births in the region and an aging workforce, the tradition faces an uncertain future.
Through evocative storytelling and stunning underground footage, the documentary captures the grit, camaraderie, and unwavering passion that keep these men digging. As Mike puts it, “There’s enough coal here to last 500 years, you just have to find it.”
Deep Roots, Dark Earth was produced by Stuart Shephard, Ben Thomas, and Lawrence Shaw as part of the wider Rooted in History: Telling Our Historic Environment program. This initiative seeks to document and share the unique heritage found in the nation’s forests, sharing the voices and traditions that have shaped these “natural” landscape for millennia.
