The Stroudwater Navigation
The Stroud Water Navigation was intended to be a
modification of the River Frome also known as the Stroudwater, to make it
navigable and part of a plan to provide a link from the River Severn to
Stroud and a connection to the Thames and Severn C anal and thus a Link
between the Severn and London serving places like Cirencester on route.
The Stroudwater itself only 8 miles long, though notable
for being owned by what is thought to be the oldest surviving canal company
“The Company of proprietors of the
Stroudwater Navigation” , though the company was relieved of the obligation
to keep the waterway open in 1954
Currently this is a restoration project that could
eventually to the creation of the Cotswold Ring.
The idea of improving the river Frome to create navigable
water was first discussed in the 17th Century, though not
The first survey was done in 1728 by John Hore who
suggested a route of about 8 miles capable of carrying barges up to 60 tons.
Submissions to parliament were duly made and an Act passed in 1730 approving
the project, but work did not commence until after 1761 with some
modifications of plans including plans for a reservoir to ensure a supply of
water to the existing mills.
A further Act was passed in 1775 and John Priddley now
took over as Engineer, though discharged the following year at three months
notice, along with Samuel Jones the resident
engineer. Edmund Lingard was then appointed as engineer in July
1776, but only lasted until November 1776 after apparently failing to follow
orders and report back twice a week.
Staffing was clearly a problem .
Progress was slow and frustrating, while the problems of
creating the canal without denying the mills water were resolved, solutions
considered including cranes to lift goods over weirs, which dealt with the
water problems but left the problems of transhipment in hand.
1774 saw a new plan, this time avoiding the river Frome
and the Mills, though again problems arose with objections from both land
owners and mill owners, who engaged in legal disputes with the company and
generally tried to win public opinion to their cause.
Despite all problems and opposition the canal opened in
1777, predictably in debt and over budget , but debts were paid by 1786 when
a 5% dividend was also allowed to shareholders and occasionally rose as high
as 20% in following years, so the project must have been successful.
Boats using he waterways included Severn Trows and major
cargoes include coal and wool or woollen goods. Two of locks were
widened in 1859 to allow coal barges
to pass.
The construction of the Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway
in 1863 brought direct and damaging completion to the canal, with dividends
falling below 5% by 1880, though continuing to be paid until 1922. The last
toll was paid in 1941, with the
canal formally abandoned in 1954.
The canal is now a restoration project.