Bream (historically known as Breem) is a village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England. The population was around 3,170 in the 2011 census.

Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. Its area and total population are the same as quoted above.

History

Human activity at Bream dates back to the Iron Age, when iron ore was being mined in the local area. The first dwellings in Bream were recorded in 1452. In 1505, the St. James' church, Bream or St. James chapel as it was then known, was built. In 1712, the population of Bream was 300. In 1822, the church was reconstructed. The main employment in the village in the past was coal mining, farming, and forestry. Today with the mines closed, there is very little employment now in the village, although there are two garages and several shops. Bream is one of the largest villages in the Forest of Dean District with a population of just under 3,200 as of January 2011. It is just one of a number of settlements which make up the Forest Ring of settlements on the fringes of the statutory Royal Forest. Positioned on the southern edge of the forest core between the towns of Lydney and Coleford, the village is set on a ridge of high ground, falling away on three sides.

Sport

Bream has a rugby union team and a sports club, which hosts cricket and association football.

Notable residents