Cotswold Canals in Pictures

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 (banner image)
  • Restoration of the towpath between the Cotswold Water Park & Eisey
  • New road bridge, Stroud bypass (Dr Newton's Way)
  • New road bridge, Ebley bypass
  • New road bridge, Dudbridge
  • 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 Bridges
  • Full restoration of Blunder, Newtown and Wallbridge Upper Locks
  • Repairs & restoration work on Locks including: Gough's Orchard, Whitminster, Dock, Pike, Valley, Siddington Flight, Boxwell Spring, Wildmoorway Lower & Cerney Wick
  • Maintenance of canal structures and towpath to prevent damage due to trees, undergrowth and subsidence etc.
  • Dredging of various sections of the Stroudwater Navigation and Thames & Severn Canal

More recently the canal restoration has been divided into 'phases', which from west to east are:

  • Phase 1B - Saul Junction to Ocean Railway Bridge, Stonehouse
  • Phase 1A - 'The Ocean', Stonehouse to Brimscombe Port
  • Phase 3 - Brimscombe Port to Gateway Bridge (Cotswold Water Park)
  • Phase 2 - Gateway Bridge to Inglesham, near Lechlade-on-Thames

More details of the restoration effort under these headings can be found by clicking on the links above.

For details of where these restoration phases are in the context of the two canals, have a look at the Restoration Phase Map.