I HAVE been checking out the now wooded site at Scully Grove between Mitcheldean and Drybrook to see the remains of the recorded site of the lime and cement works.

It seems to me that previous to the limestone extraction there was older iron ore extraction. There is also a huge tip of very fine black stuff which may be ash.

Is there anyone alive in the area who worked in the cement works and knows how the 'black stuff' came to be there? I and others would be interested to know.