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The historic market town of Cinderford is in the very heart of the Forest of Dean. It grew where the Littledean to Coleford road crossed Bideford Brook (also known as Cinderford Brook). The name ‘Cinderford’ dates back to 1258, when it was spelled ‘Synderford’. It is believed that iron ore has been mined and smelted in the area since Norman times. The ford, from which the town’s name is derived, was replaced by a bridge in 1674, when improvements were made to the town following the Civil War. The original settlement in the area was a small collection of houses, built just before 1800, along the edge of the forest boundary. These buildings, known as "encroachment" cottages, were built just inside the forest at a time when it was illegal to build houses on the land of the Royal Forest.

In the 1700's Cinderford was just a small hamlet comprising a few houses around the area adjacent to what is now the Bridge Inn on the Speech House Road. Nearby were the hamlets of St. Whites, and Stockwell Green. Some of the older houses still remain in these areas. By the early 1800's the village began to develop around the parish church of St. John, which was designed by Edward Blore and consecrated in 1844.

Coal mining brought prosperity to the area in the mid 1800’s, and the town developed as more people came to work in the mines. The layout and architecture of Cinderford is similar to that found in many of the Welsh Valley towns, which also expanded with the growth of coal mining. In addition, heavy industry has had a major influence on the way that the town has developed. As in many other industrial areas, the manufacturing businesses are sited on the flat valley floor, while housing is developed on the valley sides, using sites that were less practical for large scale industrial processes.

The centre of the town gradually shifted to its present position around The Triangle, away from the original village around St. John's church, and the town became linked to the outside world by new railway links via both the Severn & Wye Railway Company and the Great Western Railway. Early in 1921 Bristol Tramways also arrived in Cinderford. Service 52 ran from Gloucester via Minsterworth and Littledean, providing seven journeys a day.

When the mines closed, in the 1950’s, Cinderford suffered a severe setback as there was little other industry in the area. Now, however, there is increasing commercial and industrial development in the town, with several thriving business parks catering for national and international companies, as well as smaller enterprises.

Cinderford itself is one of the main commercial centres of the Forest of Dean, and offers an excellent variety of shops, as well as a thriving open air market. There are also 28 local pubs, cafes and restaurants, covering everything from Indian and Chinese to traditional English food, as well as locally brewed beers. The town is virtually surrounded by forest, so residents and visitors are ideally placed to take advantage of many acres of beautiful woodland. Furthermore, as it is at the northern end of the Forest of Dean it is very well placed for all transport links, being within the easy reach of the M4, M5 and M50, the rail network and various regional airports. This makes commuting to Southern England, Wales and the Midlands a practical proposition.

The town and its surrounding area offer a great variety of things to see and do. The Dean Heritage Centre, run by the Dean Heritage Museum Trust, is dedicated to preserving the history of the Forest of Dean. There are five galleries demonstrating how the landscape and character of the area has developed from thousands of years of interaction between the people of the Forest of Dean and its natural environment. It is housed in an old corn mill, constructed in 1876, and is now one of the main visitor attractions in the area. For the more energetic, there is the three mile long Sculpture Trail through the Forest. This features several pieces, including a spectacular stained glass window suspended amongst the trees, and a Giant’s Chair. The Trail begins and ends at Beechenhurst, a picturesque picnic site.

A recent and welcome development in Cinderford itself is Linear Park, a wildlife conservation site, which boasts a cycle path as well as footpaths, and takes the route of the former railway branch line. There are many other attractions, as well as Festivals and Events, and a Tourist Information Point at the Belle Vue Centre, where details on all of these can be obtained.