Parkend
A pleasant and thriving small village in the heart
of the Forest. Once a thriving coal mining centre, the
village is now a peaceful backwater surrounded by woodlands,
one of which is the RSPB Nag's Head Nature Reserve.
There are delightful village pubs, and a cricket pitch
right in the centre of the village, ideal for spending
a lazy summer's afternoon. The parish of Parkend was
founded in 1822, previous to which the area was part
of the Royal Hunting Forest.
Only a few cottages existed in Parkend until 1850,
with the coming of commercial iron-making, with furnaces
that could use coke made Parkend an important industrial
centre. Much of the present day village was built as
a result. Parkend had plenty of coal, making it well
placed to serve a new ironworks with a coke blast furnace
in 1799. A waterwheel remained in use long after steam
engines had taken over elsewhere. There are many places
of interest within Parkend. The octagonal shaped church
was built in 1822. The Memorial Hall, built in 1919
in memory of those killed in the first World War, Parkend
County Primary School, built in 1822, a fine feature
being the Gothic style window frame, which has been
replaced several times during the history of the school.
The village also has Inns, craft shops, several listed
buildings, and a village walk leaflet. The Dean Field
Studies Centre became the first Forestry Training School
in 1908. The four storey building is now a Grade II
listed building.
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Council
Chair John Marchant
Clerk Jim Lee
This Parish covers: Bream, Whitecroft, Pillowell,
Yorkley, Oldcroft, Viney Hill, Berry Hill, Ellwood.
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Churches
 St
Paul's Church
This is one of the more unusual churches built in
the 1800's. It is beautifully situated on the edge of
Parkend in a forest clearing. The shape provides the
point of interest in being octagonal and cruciform,
with the arms formed by the sanctuary, north and west
transepts and west tower. It was built in 1822 by Henry
Poole, a local priest, who raised most of the money
for building it through public subscription.
Photographs
of the church & village
Folly Road Baptist Church is also in Parkend: phone
Rev Danny Beaven 01594 543505 or email to: ministrial.revdanb@ntlworld.com
Old
Church Records for family historians
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