Dennis Potter

A great Potter website can be found at www.yorksj.ac.uk/potter/

Critically acclaimed playwright Dennis Potter was born in May 1935, at Joyford Hill, Berry Hill, Coleford. The eldest son of a Forest coal miner, Dennis grew up in a close knit community with strong social values, surrounded by the stark but beautiful landscape of the Forest of Dean which he once referred to as 'this heart shaped land'. The forest actually appears to be 'heart shaped' with the rivers Severn and Wye forming a triangular plateau, covered by the leafy tree tops of oak, beech and conifer.

After finishing high school, Dennis Potter went on to a read philosophy, economics and politics (PPE) at New College, Oxford. Whilst at Oxford, Dennis became a regular voice in college debates. His articles in the university magazine 'Isis' and work as editor for the magazine gained him national recognition. After Oxford, Dennis started work as a trainee with the BBC, studying the fine art of production and technique before going on to write screenplays for some of TV's most memorable and classic programmes, like Pennies from Heaven, The Singing Detective and Lipstick on Your Collar.

Dennis Potter drew upon his childhood in the Forest of Dean for much of his work. Two of his early plays, The Beast with Two Backs and Blue Remembered Hills were actually filmed on location in the Forest.

His books, The Glittering Coffin and The Changing Forest: Life in the Forest of Dean Today give detailed accounts of Forest life. Dennis writes passionately about the unique forest dialect, forest traditions and the pride forest people feel for their birthplace. Dennis Potter died in 1994.

Today you can explore the enchanting Forest landscapes of Dennis Potter's childhood with self guided walks around the area. All are available with accompanying maps.

For more information on forest walks please contact Coleford Tourist Information Centre on 01594 812388.