Redbrook
Encyclopedia
Redbrook is a village
in Gloucestershire
, England
, adjoining the border with Monmouthshire
, Wales
. It is located on the River Wye
and is within the Wye Valley
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
.
, tinplate works and copper
works. The oldest site is the King's Mill, which was a corn mill first recorded in 1434 and which remained in use until 1925.
The Redbrook Copper Works used ore brought from Cornwall
via Chepstow
and worked until 1740 when it closed down and the buildings were leased for the manufacturer of tinplate. It is from this iron ore that the village got its name - the brook running down the valley through the village often ran dark red. The tinplate factory, run by the Redbrook Tinplate Company, was world famous for the high quality product it made and did not close until 1962. Redbrook was also a river port where the various products of the local industries were shipped.
The village once boasted no less than 13 Inns and three breweries. The last brewery to close, in 1926, was Redbrook Brewery and the site is still marked by Brewery Yard and Brewery Terrace.
Redbrook was the last station before Monmouth on the Wye Valley Railway
. The railway was opened in 1876 to connect Monmouth to the South Wales line
, closing to passengers in 1959 and freight in 1964. Today a wood-decked footbridge spans the river which once carried the railway.
Two local pubs, the Boat Inn at Penallt
on the Welsh
side of the River Wye and the Bell Inn on the English
side, serve local and visitors well. The Boat Inn is accessed from Redbrook via Penallt Viaduct
, which used to carry the Wye Valley Railway
across the River. The village also has a Post Office and stores.
The Offa's Dyke Path
and the Wye Valley Walk
run through the village.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, adjoining the border with Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It is located on the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
and is within the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
.
History
Redbrook was historically an important industrial centre with many industrial sites including mills, an ironworksIronworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
, tinplate works and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
works. The oldest site is the King's Mill, which was a corn mill first recorded in 1434 and which remained in use until 1925.
The Redbrook Copper Works used ore brought from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
via Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
and worked until 1740 when it closed down and the buildings were leased for the manufacturer of tinplate. It is from this iron ore that the village got its name - the brook running down the valley through the village often ran dark red. The tinplate factory, run by the Redbrook Tinplate Company, was world famous for the high quality product it made and did not close until 1962. Redbrook was also a river port where the various products of the local industries were shipped.
The village once boasted no less than 13 Inns and three breweries. The last brewery to close, in 1926, was Redbrook Brewery and the site is still marked by Brewery Yard and Brewery Terrace.
Redbrook was the last station before Monmouth on the Wye Valley Railway
Wye Valley Railway
The Wye Valley Railway was a standard gauge railway that ran for nearly between Chepstow and Monmouth along the lower part of the scenic Wye Valley in Monmouthshire, Wales, and Gloucestershire, England. It followed the route of the River Wye for most of its length...
. The railway was opened in 1876 to connect Monmouth to the South Wales line
South Wales Railway
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
, closing to passengers in 1959 and freight in 1964. Today a wood-decked footbridge spans the river which once carried the railway.
Amenities
Redbrook has a population of 372 and is a quiet village amidst peaceful wooded hills. A little above the river is the 19th century church of St. Saviour.Two local pubs, the Boat Inn at Penallt
Penallt
Penallt is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales set high on a hill above Monmouth. In the centre of the village, by the village green, is the 17th century village pub, the "Inn at Penallt", formerly called the Bush Inn....
on the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
side of the River Wye and the Bell Inn on the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
side, serve local and visitors well. The Boat Inn is accessed from Redbrook via Penallt Viaduct
Penallt Viaduct
Penallt Viaduct is a viaduct that formerly carried the Wye Valley Railway over the River Wye; the river at this location forms the border between England and Wales . It was located between and stations; passenger services ceased on the railway in 1959...
, which used to carry the Wye Valley Railway
Wye Valley Railway
The Wye Valley Railway was a standard gauge railway that ran for nearly between Chepstow and Monmouth along the lower part of the scenic Wye Valley in Monmouthshire, Wales, and Gloucestershire, England. It followed the route of the River Wye for most of its length...
across the River. The village also has a Post Office and stores.
The Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
and the Wye Valley Walk
Wye Valley Walk
The Wye Valley Walk is a long distance footpath in Wales and England following the course of the River Wye .-Distance:The whole route now that it has been extended runs for 136 miles .-The route:...
run through the village.