Celebrating World Book Day at The Heritage Gift Shop

To mark World Book Day, we’re highlighting the range of books available in the Heritage Gift Shop.

Our shelves include local history titles, books by local authors and a selection of children’s stories. Whether you’re looking to learn more about the area or pick up a thoughtful gift, there’s plenty to choose from.

Books for younger readers

Harry's Lovely Spring Day by NGK

£7.99

We see the start of the 'Harry the Happy Mouse' series as Harry learns about the value of kindness and why a small thing for someone could mean something big for someone else.

Harry is living in the city when he is helped by a stranger. Harry then decides to find the stranger to thank her. It really does turn out to be a Lovely Spring Day!

Super Rat by Niki Stewart

£6.99

Ratty's best friend is a little blind mole who cannot see that he is a rat. When his true identity is exposed by a mean hedgehog, Ratty faces a choice that tests his self-acceptance. This touching tale celebrates the idea that it's what's inside that truly matters, emphasising individuality, friendship, and inner beauty.

Inspector Earwig & The Garden Thief by Matt Davies

£7.99

Someone has eaten the beautiful flowers! Whoever it was, they’d been feasting for hours! Inspector Earwig was first on the scene, but the culprit was gone… “Who could it have been?” Join the inspector in this fun, garden tale. Who did it? A bug? A spider? A snail?!

Walter The World's Worst Pirate by NGK

£7.99

Follow Walter as he travels to prove to others how tough and brave he is. To prove himself to the other pirates, Walter sets off on a journey to capture the legendary 'Big Blue' whale, but on the way makes an unlikely friend who shows him that it's best to be who you are, not who you should be.

Books to Learn about Local History

Ring Out the Thousand Wars of Old by Ian Wright

£6.00

During World War One, 28 men from the Forest of Dean sought recognition as conscientious objectors rather than be called up to fight. This is the story of these men, the options available to them, the way they responded and what they did after the war. The book explores the role that religion, class, culture and place had on these individual decisions.

The Tin Chapel at the Edge of Town by Roger Deeks and Jason Griffiths

£12.95

This is the story of the 'tin chapel at the edge of town', a history of the Bilson Mission. What began as woodland services evangelising Gypsies soon became the outpost of a brand-new parish serving the growing working-class community at the lower end of Cinderford.

Slaughter Pit by Dave Tuffley

£5

In the post-industrial Forest of Dean, little evidence remains of Westbury Brook Iron Ore Mine. In this book, Tuffley traces the history of this forgotten place from its origins, its development during the Industrial Revolution and its demise in 1893.

He also explores the lives of the miners who worked there, with its exceptionally high accident and death rate giving it the nickname 'Slaughter Pit'.

Gloucestershire Place Names by Anthony Poulton-Smith

£18.99

Ever wonder why our towns and villages are named? Were they a deliberate creation by our ancestors, or did they evolve naturally over time?

In these pages, we examine the origins of the names which we are otherwise so familiar.

Books by local Authors

Forest Humour by Harry Beddington

£12.95

This Forest of Dean classic is not only a feast of wisdom and entertainment, it is a celebration of fast disappearing Forest of Dean dialect. In this evocative book, the author brings the Forest spirit and culture to life in this wonderful collection of prose and verse.

The Land Between Two Rivers by Dick Brice

£12.95

Dick Brice, a seasoned entertainer, has delighted audiences at venues throughout the Forest of Dean. Originally recognised as an interpreter of traditional song, he has become better known recently as a writer of original material based on his own observations and his own unique take on life.

Dick's songs and poems can be poignant or humorous - frequently both.

River Witch by Cheryl Burman

£9.50

A forbidden love, a forced marriage. Alone, in hiding, a desperate Hester must battle for her life and her dream. In 19th century rural England, Hester hears the river’s whispers and envies the wild freedom of the nymphs who ride its tides. Drawn to its power, she longs for a life beyond her father’s farm.

Hester persuades the reclusive Aaron, a stranger powerful in herbal healing … and magic … to teach her all he knows.

Another Doctor in the Forest by Chris Nancollas

£12.95

Following in the footsteps of Bill Tandy's classic 1978 memoir 'A Doctor in the Forest', Chris Nancollas gives a frank and often funny account of his life as a GP in Yorkley in the Forest of Dean and reflects on the changes that have taken place during his career in medicine.

The Amethyst Wand by Margaret Iggulden

£8.99

In the second of the series, Spirals of Time, time-travelling twins, Tara and David, continue their quest to save Planet Earth, accompanied by Bethan, the puppy, and Simone, their reluctant cousin.

The next gripping adventure begins as the four are transported back to 79 AD. They find themselves in a hillfort with the Silures tribe, who are under threat from the might of the Roman army.