Ruardean
Ruardean is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, to the west of Cinderford. It is situated on a hill with views west in the direction of the hills of South Wales. Little now remains of the town's commercial history, once it was a centre for iron ore smelting heating systems, creates and coal mines. The Norman castle, now little bit more than a mound, commanded the shortest route from Gloucester Castle to the Welsh Marches and the Wye Valley. The town has been, in times past, a vital centre of iron and coal mining, however little proof remains of this aspect of the village's history. The main historical spots of the town is Ruardyn Castle, near to the parish church. In the past the village was led to as Ruardyn and was part of Herefordshire. Nowadays the village lies inside Gloucestershire and also belongs to the Forest of Dean area. Like much of the bordering area, Ruardean has historically been fairly inadequate; the 1831 demographics documents 127 families, with half the population used in agriculture as well as 160 people on inadequate alleviation.