The Thames and Severn Canal
The Thames and Severn Canal
....Whereas the making and
maintaining a Canal, with
a proper Collateral Cut, for the Navigation of Boats, Barges, and other
Vessels,
from the River Thames, or Isis, at some place at or near Lechlade, in
the
County of Gloucester, to join and communicate with a Navigable Cut or
Canal,
now made between the Town of Stroud and the River Severn, in the said
County
of Gloucester, will open an early Communication between the interior
Parts
of the Kingdom and the Port of London..... 1783 Act
No other canal seems to stir the emotions like the T&S Canal and
despite
years of neglect, disuse and abuse, most of it is still there;
inspirational
in its engineering boldness, stunning in its beauty, enigmatic and
waiting
for the day when once more boats will pass through its locks and the
mighty tunnel at Sapperton.
These pages are dedicated to those back in the 18th Century who dared
to
dream the impossible and then made it happen, those who ran the canal
for
140 years, those who, even 100 years ago, strived to keep it open and
the
current generation who have campaigned and worked as volunteers
towards,
God willing, its full restoration.
The struggle is not over but in spite of British Waterways unfortunate
withdrawal from the project in early 2008, the Cotswold
Canals remains at the top of the
priority
list of national canal restorations. Stroud District Council have taken
over the lead in restoring the western end of the T&S Canal from
Stroud to, and including, Brimscombe Port. The Cotswold Canals Trust is
working elsewhere on the canal and a project is now underway to start
restoration from the junction with the Thames at Inglesham with the
support of the Inland Waterways Association and the Waterway Recovery
Group. With the
enthusiastic
support of the Cotswold Canals Partnership, there is now a real
prospect of eventually seeing
the
Thames and Severn as she once was - beautiful and in full working order.
Cerney Wick Lock in 1904 
The following cover the canal from east to west (Thames to Stroud).
The Thames & Severn Canal in water
Technical
Information about the T&S
Stroudwater Navigation
Canal History
The Cotswold Canals Trust
If you want to make your support known for, or argue with those who see no merit in, restoring the Thames & Severn Canal, you can have your say on forums hosted at: www.ThamesHead.com
Maintained by Ken Burgin : ken.burgin@pikelock.com
Copyright © Ken Burgin 2002-2007 - all rights reserved
