The most detailed survey of the Forest of Dean produced in the nineteenth century.

The survey was carried out by John Atkinson, one of the Deputy Gavellers of the Forest of Dean. The Office of Deputy Gaveller is unique to the Forest of Dean. They are the Monarch's representative who deals with many issues in connection with the gales and mines within the Forest. The Deputy Gaveller maintains the official register of free miners and is responsible for the administration and collection of mineral royalties from the worked gales. A gale is an area within the Hundred of St. Briavels and may cover coal, stone, iron ore and ochre which is worked by a freeminer. To become a freeminer one must have been born within the Hundred of St. Briavels and worked in a gale for a year and a day. This tradition goes back to King Edward III, being a gift following the siege of Berwick on Tweed. This right continues to this day, despite coal's poor environmental credentials.

A note below the title provides information on the sources used in compiling the survey, including: Thomas Sopwith's mineral survey of the area; the survey of encroachments (i.e. constructing buildings or claiming land without permission) by Mr Hosmer; with the surrounding neighbourhoods and parishes, carried out by J. Atkinson himself.

To the left of the note is an extensive key, which includes: the boundary of Dean Forest (red); crops of coal seems (dashed line); crop of limestone vein of iron ore (orange); tram roads (solid line); encroachments (pink); boundary line between East and West Dean (dotted dashed line). Enclosed land is named and marked, as are working collieries.

Scale 4 inches to one statue mile.