Eysey is one of the remoter parts of the canal and there is no public
access to the canal east of the site of the former Ampney Brook
aqueduct. The towpath between the A419 and the aqueduct site is a
public right of way and it is cleared periodically by the Trust
and others - even so, it can be a rough passage but one which gives the
satisfaction that through its use, the next traveler will find just a
little easier.
The state of the non-right of way towpath, which can only be used with
permission of its owners, defies description - dense jungle with lots
of prickles does not really do it justice. The Lock Cottage at Eysey
was so overgrown during a visit in the summer of 2002, that its
presence was not recognised until ones passage was suddenly blocked by
a wall! Under such conditions, photography is a real problem and best
done in the winter. Eysey
public footpath!
Just to the east of Eysey Lock is Ruck's Bridge, an original humpback
bridge which was heavily repaired using tough engineering bricks at
some
point prior to the early 1900s. It still carries farm traffic and this
may
explain why its parapets have been removed. There is still some water
in
this length of canal but unsympathetic land drainage schemes, some as
recent
as the 1980s, have breached the bed of the canal resulting in a
somewhat
reduced level. This bridge is the subject of a Cotswold Canals Trust
project to repair damaged stone and brickwork under and around the
bridge. The parapets will not be rebuilt at this stage as the bridge is
still in use by farm machinery.
The lock at Eysey marks the end of the 5 mile pound running from
Dudgrove Double Lock through Kempsford and past Marston Meysey. The
lock has a 7ft fall and was never shortened so retains its full 90ft
length. The remains of both bottom gates survive but the paddle gear
was removed by the Trust in the 1970s for safe keeping and potential
re-use.
The top gates, which are just visible in a photo dating from the 1940s,
have gone.
The Lock Cottage is very remote and was abandoned in the late 1960s. It
was very much intact in 1980 but holes in the roof have now caused the
decay and collapse of the ceilings and floors in places. The rapid
decay of the cottages by the Daneway Portal and at Wildmoorway after
they reached a similar state suggests that this building could be lost
if nothing is done within the next few years.
Eysey itself (what remains of it) is nearly a mile west of the lock.
The dry stone bridge carrying the small road over the canal was unusual
but long gone.
Just to the south of the site of the bridge is the entrance to Eysey
Manor Farm. On each side of the driveway can be found T&S Canal
Milestones
each with its cast iron plate giving the distances to Inglesham and
Wallbridge (Stroud). Their removal from their original canal side
locations to here
must have required quite a lot of effort.
