Now Open...
Brand New Gruffalo's Child Trail!
See a brand new woodland trail based on the much loved children's book, The Gruffalo's Child. The trail continues throughout 2013.
Walk trail, have fun with our sensory boxes and enjoy lunch from the onsite cafe's Gruffalo menu.
Latest News from the Dean Heritage Centre...
DHC's Double celebrations at Forester Business Awards
The Dean Heritage Centre (DHC) is delighted to announce it has been awarded both the ‘Tourism’ and ‘Small Business of the Year’ Awards at the Forester Business Awards 2013!
New Gruffalo's Child Trail brings record number to the DHC!
The Gruffalo delighted audiences by opening the brand new Gruffalo's Child woodland trail.
Following the success of the Gruffalo woodland trail, our talented onsite chainsaw carvers have created a magical trail based on the 'Gruffalo's Child'. Written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the book has been read to millions of children across the globe. Visitors enjoyed craft activities, storytelling, film screenings and the Gruffalo childrens menu.
Dont fret if you missed the Gruffalo's visit, he will be back on the 26th and 27th October 2013.
Former DHC Trustee Brian Johns passes away peacefully at his home in Blakeney
The Dean Heritage Centre is saddened to announce that former trustee and
long-time supporter of the heritage centre, Mr Brian Johns, has passed away at the age of 79.
Slouch in the undergrowth with a sensational new art exhibition at the DHC!
The Dean Heritage Centre (DHC) is delighted to welcome its first art exhibition of 2013. Wye Valley artist Harry Cockburn will be showing his love of the scenery of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley with his colourful collection entitled: ‘Slouching in the undergrowth’. The exhibition will run from Saturday 12th January until Sunday 24th February.
South West Tourism Awards Finalist
The Dean Heritage Centre has been commended as a finalist in the South West Tourism Awards for 2012! The judges were hugely impressed by what the DHC had to offer visitors, including the highly acclaimed Gruffalo woodland trail, interactive activities and a jam packed events programme and have awarded the centre ‘Finalist’ status.
Raffle winner, Jim Simpson takes home his very own gruffalo carving!
Santa, situated in a cosy Victorian cottage has been delighting children and adults alike with early Christmas gifts and excitement. He also had the important job of drawing the Centre’s Gruffalo raffle prize winner which he did with the help of his festive elf.
Visit Santa and his reindeer at the DHC this December!
Santa will be situated in our cosy Victorian cottage on weekends throughout December until Sunday the 23rd and Donner and Blitzen will be staying onsite from the 1st -23rd December daily preparing and resting for their big night on Christmas Eve.
Children visiting the centre throughout December will receive a free Christmas gift and adults will receive a free drink and mince pie in the café as part of paid entry to the site.
Celebrate ‘Our Beautiful Forest’ with Sarah King’s latest exhibition.
From Saturday 10th November until Friday 28th December, Sarah King will be returning to the Dean Heritage Centre with a new exhibition titled ‘Our Beautiful Forest’
The seasonal exhibition illustrates perfectly the changing colours of the forest during the winter months and displays the fantastic abilities of yet another talented local artist.
Gruffalo Owl carving stolen from the DHC!
One of our carved owls has been stolen from the gruffalo trail.
Christmas 2012 for schools at the DHC. Book now!
We are now taking school bookings for Monday 29th November until Friday 21st December!
Double whammy of artistic talent for the Dean Heritage Centre gallery
Local artists David Brindley and Adrian Dymond will be sharing the gallery space in order to display their individual and unique artworks. Open now until Saturday 3rd November 2012.
Desperately seeking Santa...
Local charity, the Dean Heritage Centre, is seeking someone to don the famous red suit and take on the lead role of Santa this Christmas.
Meet the Gruffalo!!
On Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September visitors to the Centre will be able to meet their favourite orange-eyed and purple prickled monster and see the spectacular woodland trail based on the UK’s best loved children’s book.
DHC goes 'Pirate Mad' for a whole weekend!
Walk, talk and squawk like a pirate as the Dean Heritage Centre (DHC) prepares to go pirate mad for a whole weekend! On Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th September the DHC will be celebrating life on the Seven Seas with a fun-packed Pirate Weekend.
Bank Holiday Charcoal Burn!
From Saturday 25th until Monday 27th August, visitors will be able to take in the sights and smells of a traditional charcoal burn as a team of volunteers take up residence at the Dean Heritage Centre to demonstrate the ancient forest craft.
Adopt a Museum and Support the DHC
#adoptamuseum needs you! If you know of a great little museum you'd like to feature, please get in touch!
'UNEARTHED'- Brand New Fossil Exhibition
Monday 20th to Friday 31st August
Three giant fossils have come back to life and crawled out of the sea, to spend part of the summer at Dean Heritage Centre. Made from willow, clay and wool, they are the result of a year-long art project by Stroud-based Hand And Eye arts partnership.
Interactive mini-workshops* will enable you to crawl inside the giant trilobite to find out what these ancient creatures ate for tea, and how they dealt with poisonous volcanic seas. Find out how ammonites stayed afloat, and why they are thought to have had blue blood.
Small fee for mini-workshops in addition to entry price.
* Workshops available on Mon 20th; Tues 21st; and Wed 22nd only.
'Forest Reflections' Art Exhibition - Monday 6th August - Sunday 16th September 2012
Doug Eaton will be displaying his locally themed paintings. Vivid colours and clever techniques create stunning pieces of work which shed new light on familiar places.
Romans, Rocks and Relics - Get 'hands on' with history at the Dean Heritage Centre this summer
On Sunday 23rd July, the Dean Archaeology Group (DAG) will be at the Dean Heritage Centre (DHC) demonstrating Romano British cookery and encouraging visitors to get involved in pot making, fabric dying and fascinating walks of the surrounding area.
On Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st of July Gloucestershire Geology Trust will bring their Rock and Fossil Roadshow to the DHC. Visitors will be able to take part in thrilling hands on activities including rock and fossil identification, mask making and fun activity sheets.
The two events mark the start of a six week long summer holiday programme at the Centre which includes: Pirate Day every Thursday, the FOD Squad Kids Club, craft workshops; a microscope discovery corner and exciting treasure hunts and cryptic trails. The summer ‘What’s On’ calendar runs alongside the highly acclaimed Gruffalo woodland trail and can be downloaded here.
Heywood Community School exhibit their ‘Forest Reflections’ at DHC
From Thursday 5th July until Thursday 6th September, the Dean Heritage Centre’s (DHC) community Gallery, Gallery 41, will become home to a brand new ‘Forest Reflections’ exhibition by Heywood Community School.
Treat Dad to a FREE day at the Dean Heritage Centre and see our latest Ben Locke photography exhibition.
Visitors can bring their Dad to the Dean Heritage Centre for free this Father’s Day as the centre opens its latest exhibition by Forest of Dean photographer Ben Locke.
One visitor paying full price will be able to treat their dad to free admission which includes entry to the Gruffalo woodland trail and the Ben Locke Photography exhibition.
Adams Axemen Headline Forest Fire and Wood Festival!
The annual three day festival, returns for its 5th year from Saturday 2nd to Monday 4th June, and is a fantastic celebration of local crafts and artisans. Headlining this year's activities is the country's best known lumberjack display team, the Adam's Axemen, who will be thrilling the crowds on the Saturday and Sunday, with their amazing lumber jack demonstrations using axes and crosscut saws.
Gruffalo Trail brings monster numbers the Dean Heritage Centre!
With the opening of the brand new Gruffalo trail at the Dean Heritage Centre, the local tourist attraction and heritage centre has seen record numbers of visitors seeking the mouse and his cleverly conjured monster.
Following the grand opening, over 5,000 people have visited the Centre in just two weeks, which is a record number for the centre, located off the beaten track in Soudley.
'Result of Inspiration' Art exhibition at the Dean Heritage Centre!
Chepstow based artist, Pat Howells has installed a wonderful exhibition of paintings illustrating the outstanding beauty of the Forest of Dean landscape at the Dean Heritage Centre. The collection will be on display from Saturday 28th May until Sunday the 10th of June 2012.
Get Involved in the Potter Project!
The Dean Heritage Centre is looking for people who knew screenwriter and journalist Dennis Potter. Whether you went to school or social clubs with him or played an extra in one of his films, we would like to hear about it. We would like to interview and record willing volunteers as part of our upcoming Potter exhibition and display memorabilia local people may have.
The Gruffalo at the Dean Heritage Centre!
Courtesy of author Julia Donaldson, illustrator Axel Scheffler and publisher's Macmillan Children's Books, London, UK, the Dean Heritage Centre is delighted to announce exciting plans for a brand new interactive woodland trail based on the UK's best loved children's book, The Gruffalo.
.
Image courtesy of Macmillan Children's Books
NEW CONFERENCE FACILITIES
New Conference Facilities add to the new look Dean Heritage
Centre.
The newly refurbished Dean Heritage Centre has added another string to its bow in
the form of a brand new conference venue.
The newly converted room, previously a blacksmith's workshop, is fully equipped
and has space for 18 delegates in boardroom style or 25 in theatre style. In addition,
it has beautiful views of the millpond and direct access to the veranda.
Situated next door to the onsite cafe, great food can be ordered with any package.
Among the first to sample the new space were Gloucestershire Archives department
and the centre's own trustees AGM including two brand new members.
