Why visit Bream
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Clearwell Caves, Lydney Park, Stow Green and Forest of Dean Cycle Centre.
Weather in Bream
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Bream
Bream (historically known as Breem) is a village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England. The village is located near the Lyd river and within the Forest of Dean coalfield. In 2025, the population was approximately 4,812.
From the Wikipedia article Bream, Gloucestershire (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Clearwell Caves
Monument and historic site · 2.2 mi
Cave system in Clearwell, England
Museums and landmarks3
Stow Green
Monument and historic site · 2.4 mi
Castle in St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes6
History
Human activity at Bream dates back to the Iron Age, when iron ore was being mined in the local area. Mining expanded once the Romans brought improved excavation techniques and smelting.
The village itself is said to have initially emerged as a clearing in the Royal Forest used for hunting for deer and boar by King John when he resided at St Briavel's Castle.
The first dwellings in Bream were recorded in 1452. In 1505, the St. James' church, Bream or St. James chapel as it was then known, was built. The first house at Maypole was recorded to have been built in 1637, and would later become the New Inn. In 1712, the population of Bream was 300. Later, in 1822, the church was restored and expanded.
Bream was central to the Dean Forest Riots over the Dean and New Forests Act of 1808, which sought to enclose large amounts of the forest in response to a shortage of naval timer. This would have limited ancient freeminer and grazing rights in the area. Warren James, who lived in Bream from 1812, led the opposition. The riots culminated in the tearing down of enclosing fences but was ultimately suppressed by heavily armed soldiers from Doncaster and 180 infantry later Plymouth.
Read more of the history
James was sentenced to death for his involvement in the riots however this was later altered to expulsion to Australia. Following a petition from foresters back in Dean, James was officially pardoned but chose to remain in Hobart, Tasmania where he died in 1841.
The main employment in the village in the past was coal mining, farming, and forestry. Following changes to industry, the last mine in Bream, the 'Princess Royal' was closed in 1962.
Employment in the village has significantly changed since the closure of the mines however the village still has 17.2% employed in skilled trade occupations compared to the national average of 10.2%. The percentage whose highest educational qualification is an apprenticeship (8.0%) is also above the national average of 5.3%.
Bream is one of the largest villages in the Forest of Dean District with a population of just over 4,800 as of January 2024. It is just one of a number of settlements which make up the Forest Ring of settlements on the fringes of the statutory Royal Forest. Positioned on the southern edge of the forest core between the towns of Lydney and Coleford, the village is set on a ridge of high ground, falling away on three sides.
From the History section of Bream, Gloucestershire on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Bream
Education
Bream C of E primary school was rated good in all areas in 2024 by Ofsted.
This follows 22 years of not achieving a good judgement and having been rated inadequate in 2019. Bream joined the Severn Federation Academy Trust in 2021, a multi-academy trust consisting six primary schools in Gloucestershire.
Schools local to the area also include Pillowell Community Primary School and Ellwood Community Primary School.
From the Wikipedia article Bream, Gloucestershire, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship1
Schools, colleges and libraries2
Healthcare1
Map of Bream
20 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gloucestershire Airport (GLO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 20 miles away.
- Cinderford 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Lydbrook 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Berkeley 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Monmouth 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Ruardean 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Drybrook 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Chepstow 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Mitcheldean 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Thornbury 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Dursley 11 mi southeast, about 17 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Bream
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Clearwell Caves, lake and cave roof, Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lydney Roman temple, the tripartite cella, Richard Keatinge, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pedalabikeaway, Obscurasky, Public domain
- Nagshead 032, Obscurasky, CC0
- New Fancy - Memorial ^ Tip - January 2013 - panoramio, Forester2009, CC BY-SA 3.0
- River Lyd close to Miners Arms - Nov 2012 - panoramio, Forester2009, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
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