A method of estimating the iron ore raised in the Forest of Dean and district before the 17th century is based on the quantities of bloomery cinders later resmelted in charcoal blast furnaces. A surprising conclusion is that much more ore was raised in bloomery times (over 2 million tons) than in the charcoal furnace era. It is also concluded that various forgotten sources of ore were exploited, thus explaining the large accumulations of cinders well away from the limonites and hematites in the limestone periphery of Dean.