The Stroudwater Navigation
The 7-mile (12km) Stroudwater Navigation was a short waterway linking the River Severn with the wool town of Stroud, then the 'wool capital' of England. Its origins date from the early 18th century, when parts of the River Frome were made navigable. At one time, conflicts with mill owners were resolved using cranes - rather than locks - to cross weirs. This was the first documented transport system using containerisation!
The Canal was planned in the 1720s and opened in 1779. One of England's earliest canals, the Stroudwater was also highly profitable in its heyday, essential for coal delivery to the mills.
Traffic declined in the 20th century and the canal closed to navigation in 1954. The canal channel is still owned by the original Company of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation, founded in the 1730s. It is now leased to British Waterways.
The Thames & Severn Canal
The success of the Stroudwater Navigation led to the completion of a canal through to the Thames at Inglesham in 1789. Built by a separate company, the Thames and Severn Canal joined the Stroudwater Navigation at Wallbridge in Stroud.
This was a very different canal, distinguished by groundbreaking engineering and striking architecture. It needed many locks and an ambitious 2-mile tunnel between Sapperton and Coates. At Brimscombe, just upstream of Stroud, a large inland port was built, where cargo could be transhipped between Severn trows and Thames barges.
The two canals became an essential trade artery linking the Severn and Thames, but trade declined sharply after the building of the railways. The last recorded through trip was in 1911, and the Thames & Severn was closed by 1933. Much of the original line remains, but significant lengths are in private ownership.
Further Information
History of the Cotswold Canals - A detailed history of the Cotswold Canals from the Cotswold Canals Trust site
Architectural survey - Link to a Architectural survey carried out by Cotswold Archaeology
Industrial Heritage Conservation Area (IHCA) - The whole canals corridor is designated as a conservation area. Find out more about the IHCA from th
Email updates to the author of this page
