FASCINATING stories about life in the Forest and Wye Valley were revealed as dozens of sites opened their doors to the public over the weekend.

From the rocks beneath our feet to churches and reminders of our industrial and cultural heritage, there was much to discover.

In the Forest, the Coleford Area Partnership brought together some 40 events for Heritage Open Days while across the border, Monmouth Civic Society organised nearly 20 landmarks for Open Doors in Wales.

Among the events in the Forest was a musical history of St Stephen’s Church in Cinderford in conjunction with the Forest Musical Landscape Project which featured the story of Philip Charles Walding (1871-1949), the remarkable blind church organist who was celebrated in the works of Forest author Leonard Clark.

Roger Deeks, of the Forest Musical Landscape Project, said: “We’ve had lots of people come into the church and stories from people who remember the blind organist which was a fascinating part of Cinderford’s history.”

There were also recitals on the organ by the church’s former organist Mr John Mitchell as well as the opportunity to hear the rare carillon organ where music is using a keyboard to strike cup-shaped bells.

A little way down Belle Vue Road, there was plenty to see at the memorabilia day held at the offices of Cinderford Town Council.

Artefacts included the old town clock, the carnival queen’s costumes, displays about East Dean Grammar School and archive files of the forerunner of our sister paper The Forester.

In Lydney, the industrial past of the town was recalled in displays at the community centre in Naas Lane.

It brought back memories of well-known companies such as Compton’s, Lydmet, Duramin and J A Allen who made the famous Marigold brand of rubber gloves.

There was also an advert extolling the virtues – in French – of a photocopier made at the Xerox factory in Lydney.

Mr Bob Turner, who worked at the factory’s better known big brother in Mitcheldean, said: “There were about 140,000 of the Xerox 2300 copiers made in Lydney.”

The social aspect of work was well demonstrated in a fine collection of cups for the Lydney Industrial Skittles League which were brought along by Mr Bill Hobman.

He said: “These days companies organise team building exercises but back then the sports and social clubs did it.

“The league was formed in 1974 and three years later it had 22 teams which involved 220 men and women playing competitive skittles every Wednesday night.

“In the 80s there was a summer charity league which raised more than £22,000.”

The Xerox Museum, housed in the Town Hall in Mitcheldean was also open over the weekend and will be open again this weekend (September 15-16).

In Coleford there was a chance to meet the Forestry Commission’s Deputy Gaveller, Dan Howells, to learn more about the area’s mining heritage.

He said: “People are interested in the general history of mining in the Forest, in genealogy or in the history of houses which have connections with the mining industry.”

The long history of local churches is revealed in artefacts such as a fine needlework ‘pall’ from the 15th century and a rare medieval ‘doom’ painting at St Michael’s and All Angels in Mitcheldean..

Doom paintings usually date from the 12th or 13th century and show the Last Judgement when souls are sent either to Heaven or Hell.

More modern features of the Mitcheldean church include a striking marble reredos behind the altar and a stained glass window designed by John Hayward in 1970.

Bream Silver Band opened its band room on Friday afternoon (September 7) and there was an opportunity to have a go on some of the instruments.

The geology and geography of the Forest was explained in events at Clearwell Caves, the nearby Secret Forest and at the geomap, a unique geological map on the site of the former New Fancy colliery of the Dean created from 15 different rock types.

There are more open days this weekend including, on Friday (September 14), the Secret Forest at Clearwell and an evening of Forest humour at the Jolter Press in Mitcheldean.

Lindors Country House at St Briavels and St Mary’s Church, Lydney are open Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday there is a guided tour of Clearwell, All Saints’ Church in Newland is open, there is a walk around the Cyril Hart Arboretum at Speech House, a walk to see the home of the recently introduced beavers at Ruardean and St Andrew’s Church in Awre is open.

In Mitcheldean, the parish church is open from Thursday to Sunday and the Xerox Museum is open on Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday, there is a chance to have a go at bell-ringing at St Ethelbert’s in Littledean, find out about the ‘hauntings’ at Brayne Court, Littledean and there is an opportunity to see inside the store at the Dean Heritage Centre in Soudley.