Clearwell, Gloucestershire
| Clearwell | |
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 Clearwell
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| Clearwell shown within Gloucestershire | |
| OS grid reference | SO571080 |
| District | |
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| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Clearwell (anciently "Clower-Wall" etc.) is a village and former ancient manor in the Forest of Dean, West Gloucestershire, England. A recent survey indicated that the population of Clearwell is approximately 350.
There are mines locally that date back over 7,000 years to the mining of ochre and are known as Clearwell Caves. Later, the Romans mined iron at Clearwell Meend. Iron production expanded in medieval times and peaked in the 16th and 17th centuries, leaving a legacy of fine stone built buildings.
Clearwell Castle, a 'mock' castle of Gothic architecture built in 1728, is located in Clearwell.
The village of Clearwell began as a group of hamlets which coalesced to form the village. It formed around three roads which run down shallow valleys to a central junction. The hamlets on the three roads were Clearwell, Peak, and Platwell, with a fourth hamlet, Wainlete, to the north-west of Clearwell. Clearwell and Platwell had dwellings by around 1300. In 1462 fourteen houses were mentioned at Clearwell and Wainlete, thirteen at Platwell, and sixteen at Peak. Most of the houses that formed Clearwell village were replaced by stone cottages in the late 18th century and the 19th, although several older buildings survive, including the Wyndham Arms which is a substantial 17th-century house.
In 1830 a chapel was built for Clearwell village at the east end, on the road leading to the Forest. It was replaced in 1866 by a new church built by the countess of Dunraven, owner of the Clearwell estate. The countess also built a village school in 1859 and opened a cottage hospital in 1869.
There were several iron ore mines at Clearwell Meend in the 19th century. These included Old Sling, New Dun, and Old Ham. From the late 1960s Old Ham ore mine was developed, under the name Clearwell Caves, as a mining museum.
The first manor house at Clearwell was probably built by Robert Greyndour (d.1443), and probably consisted of a great hall, chapel and 12 chambers. Robert died without male issue and his daughter Elizabeth Greyndour (d.1452) became his heiress. His widow and Elizabeth's mother Johanna Rigge(d.1485) (or Rugge), daughter of Thomas Rigge of Charlcombe, Somerset by Katherine de Bitton, daughter and heiress of Sir John de Bitton of Bitton, Glos., under customary usage, retained until her death 1/3 of his lands as her dower, and married secondly Sir John Barre. She founded a chantry in nearby Newland Church called the "Chantry of Robert Greyndour" and left many charitable bequests in her will. She was buried with her first husband in the chantry chapel she had founded in Newland Church. Elizabeth had earlier married Reginald West, 6th Baron De La Warr (d.1450/1),Leaving a daughter Mary West. She married secondly, as his first wife, John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester, KG, (d.1470), whom she predeceased giving birth to a son, who did not survive one day.
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