Soudley is a small village to the west of
Cinderford
Cinderford is a town and civil parish on the eastern fringe of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. The population was 8,777 at the 2021 Census.
The town came into existence in the 19th century, following the rapid expansion of Cinde ...
, in the
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. It forms a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and northwest, Herefordshire to the n ...
, west
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) 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.
The county town is the city of Gl ...
, England.It joins with
Ruspidge to form a civil parish.
Nearby attractions include the
Dean Heritage Centre
The Dean Heritage Centre is located in the valley of Soudley, Gloucestershire, England in the Forest of Dean and exists to record and preserve the social and industrial history of the area and its people. The centre comprises the museum itself, ...
,
Soudley Ponds and the
Blaize Bailey viewpoint. Activities at the Dean Heritage Centre include chain-saw wood carving and courses on manual wood turning to make items such as chairs and candlestick holders. There are also many educational resources available on site and, as a result, the Centre is regularly frequented by schools from the local area and Wales.
Through the village runs a small river, which hosts the annual ''Soudley Duck Race''. Every year residents and visitors gather to sponsor ducks and race them the length of the village. The day is accompanied by a small fair that takes place in the village hall.
The village has a
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
called the White Horse.
White Horse
It has two skittles
Skittles may refer to:
* Skittles (confectionery), a brand of fruit-flavor chewy candy, distributed by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
*'' Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical''
* Skittles (sport), the game from which bowling originated
* Skittles (ch ...
teams and regularly hosts events such as quiz nights and snail races.
Soudley is a popular destination for tourists visiting the Forest of Dean, largely due to its proximity to the Dean Heritage Centre, but also because the local scenery and the village's location; nestled into a tight valley. There are a number of small guest houses in the village which cater for people who wish to enjoy the local countryside while having a base in Soudley for their holiday.
The village also has a football club that competes in North Gloucestershire Division 2 and is managed by Paul "rat boy" Johnson.
References
External links
Ruspidge & Soudley Parish Council website; available soonDean Heritage Centre Officialphotos of Soudley and surrounding area on geograph
Forest of Dean
Villages in Gloucestershire
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