Canal Restoration - The Story so far
In 1972 the 'Stroudwater Canal Society' (now the Cotswold Canals Trust) was formed with the aim of restoring the Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames & Severn Canal to full navigation.
Since that time the Trust, often assisted by other voluntary groups, has worked to conserve & restore sections and structures on both canals, and to ensure that new road bridges have been constructed when new roads have been built.
In addition, significant effort has been spent to prevent further loss of the through route, or significant canal structures.
Some of these achievements include:
- Restoration of Coates Tunnel Portal and King's Reach
- Restoration of Daneway Tunnel Portal
- New road bridge - Spine Road, Cotswold Water Park
- Restoration of the towpath between the Water Park & Eisey
- Provision of new road bridge, Stroud bypass (Dr Newton's Way)
- Provision of new road bridge, Ebley bypass
- Provision of new road bridge, Dudbridge
- Provision of new canal culvert, Latton bypass
- Re-instatement of Stonehouse Bridge
- Re-instatement of Bond's Mill Bridge
- Re-instatement of Pike Bridge, Eastington
- Restoration of Half-way Bridge, Ewen
- Restoration of Ryeford footbridge
- Repairs and restoration work to Stanton's, Roving, Jubilee & Cowground Bridges
- Full restoration of Blunder, Newtown and Wallbridge Upper Locks
- Repairs & restoration work on Locks including: Whitminster, Dock, Pike, Ryeford Double, Bowbridge, Ham Mill, Griffins Mill, Valley, Siddington Flight, Boxwell Spring, Wildmoorway Lower & Cerney Wick
- Continual low-level maintenance of canal structures and towpath to prevent damage due to trees, undergrowth and subsidence etc.
- Dredging of various sections of the Stroudwater Navigation