Cotswold Canals – History

The Thames and Severn Canal

The Thames and Severn Canal was completed in 1789. Its eastern end is Inglesham Lock near Lechlade where it connects with the River Thames.

Its western end is Wallbridge near Stroud, where it connects with the end of the Stroudwater Navigation. The canal had one short arm from Siddington to the town of Cirencester.

A Bill was introduced in 1783 and construction of the canal was expected to take six years. Josiah Clowes was appointed Resident Engineer.

On 31st January 1785 the first vessel passed through the lock at Wallbridge in Stroud and went up the new canal as far as Chalford.

The 241 feet rise from Wallbridge to the summit level at Daneway (near Sapperton) was completed in the summer of 1786 requiring 28 locks over a distance of seven miles.

The canal was built to accommodate Severn Trows, which were 68ft x 16ft, from the Severn to Brimscombe Port and Thames Barges, which were 90ft x 12ft, from the Port to the Thames. One of the original purposes of the Port was to facilitate the transfer of goods between the two types of craft.

>> Sapperton Tunnel

The Stroudwater Navigation <<