I am very pleased to hear that Historic England has awarded a grant of £31,020 to the Forest of Dean Building Preservation Trust to help repair Gunns Mill furnace in Mitcheldean.
Gunns Mill is considered to be the best-preserved charcoal blast furnace in the British Isles. It dates from around 1682 when the Forest of Dean was one of the most important centres for iron production in the country, as it had been since the Roman period. It was converted to a papermill in 1743 but had fallen out of use by the 20th century.
The Forest of Dean Buildings Preservation Trust took on the ownership of Gunns Mill in 2013 and since then has undertaken a number of repairs to the structure with support from Historic England. This most recent round of funding will enable architects and engineers to design a structural solution to repair the timber frame of the roof of the bridge house and provide a usable space within.
I visited the site back in May 2021 and was thoroughly impressed by the dedication of both the Trust and Historic England in bringing this site back to its former glory. I look forward to revisiting this Grade II listed building to view the progress for myself, and to a time when this significant piece of local history can be enjoyed by my constituents.