Built-up area in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
| Coordinates: | 51.792, -2.617 |
|---|---|
| OS grid ref: | SO 57 10 |
| Population: | 10,371 |
| Dialling code: | 01600 (Monmouth) |
Coleford is a small market town on the eastern edge of the Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England. Set among steep, wooded ridges it grew up as a local centre for mining, ironworking and timber, and remnants of that industrial past - tight rows of Victorian buildings and former industrial sites - still shape the town’s character.
Today Coleford serves as a practical gateway to the forest, popular for walking, cycling and outdoor pursuits, and supports a mixture of independent shops, cafés, light industry and tourism. Local life is marked by a strong community vibe and a distinctive regional identity inherited from the Forest’s long history of freeminers and woodcraft.