Redbrook

History

Redbrook was historically an important industrial centre with many industrial sites including mills, an ironworks, tinplate works and copper works. The oldest site is the King's Mill, which was a corn mill first recorded in 1434 and which remained in use until 1925.

The Redbrook Copper Works used ore brought from Cornwall via Chepstow and worked until 1740 when it closed down and the buildings were leased for the manufacturer of tinplate. It is from this iron ore that the village got its name - the brook running down the valley through the village often ran dark red. The tinplate factory, run by the Redbrook Tinplate Company, was world famous for the high quality product it made and did not close until 1962. Redbrook was also a river port where the various products of the local industries were shipped.

The village once boasted no less than 13 Inns and three breweries. The last brewery to close, in 1926, was Redbrook Brewery and the site is still marked by Brewery Yard and Brewery Terrace.

Redbrook was the last station before Monmouth on the Wye Valley Railway. The railway was opened in 1876 to connect Monmouth to the South Wales line, closing to passengers in 1959 and freight in 1964. Today a wood-decked footbridge spans the river which once carried the railway.

Amenities

Redbrook has a population of 372 and is a quiet village amidst peaceful wooded hills. A little above the river is the 19th century church of St. Saviour.

Two local pubs, the Boat Inn at Penallt on the Welsh side of the River Wye and the Bell Inn on the English side, serve local and visitors well. The Boat Inn is accessed from Redbrook via Penallt Viaduct, which used to carry the Wye Valley Railway across the River. The village also has a Post Office and stores.

The Offa's Dyke Path and the Wye Valley Walk run through the village.

Sports Club

Redbrook Rovers, established in the mid 1900s have 2 football teams, the first team currently playing in North Gloucestershire football league Premier Division and the Reserves playing their trade in Division 3. Both teams have had success in recent years with the First team winning the West Dean Charities Cup, defeating Lydbrook Reserves 3-2 in a closely contested match. The first team also won promotion to the North Gloucestershire Premier Division in the 2013/14 season winning the First Division title by 5 points.

First team success has also filtered to the Reserve team who won the 2014/15 F J Pope Cup after a thrilling 6-5 victory against Mushet And Coalway Reserves at Ellwood. 2 goals from Antony Philpots, Adam Ward, Matthew Drinkall, Jake Morgan and a Own Goal were enough for Redbrook who game back from 5-3 down at half time in extra time to bring the cup back to Redbrook. The game was watched buy around 200-300 people who witnessed a truly pulsating afternoons game of football.