Under the Forest of Dean there is coal, and certain men have the right to mine it. It is an ancient privilege, continued in spite of nationalisation. The mines are tiny-one man working underground by and for himself is common, ten is a large mine.
But the miners feel under attack at the moment. They have always exercised their rights to mine under the old laws and suddenly, they're being pulled into the world of planning regulations, enquiries and the Ministry of the Environment. As they say themselves: 'We are the environment in the Forest - if we go, so does its history.'
from Bristol