Thames and Severn Canal restoration

The pictures below  show features of the old Thames and Severn canal, currently undergoing restoration under the auspices of the Cotswolds Canal Trust (CCT), the canal disused for some seventy years, is in process of restoration and the CCT plan to reopen the canal enabling navigation between the Thames and Severn rivers - very much a long term aim, depending on funding and also the cooperation of local land owners. The CCT has already restored a number of locks and bridges on the canal and is currently working on Rucks bridge and Eysey lock (grid reference SU121951) see photos below.

In the shorter term it is planned to open the towpath as a long distance path to be called the Severn Thames Way, some sections are already open to walkers  and permission has been obtained for a local section to be opened across land  farmed by the Co-op farms. In order to seek the views of local parishes it is proposed to set up an Eastern  consultative committee to enable input and comment on the plans from parishes in the local area.

Early Ordinance Survey map showing the canal	Eysey Lock This lock is some ninety feet long and twelve feet deep, built in 1787 to take the largest thames barge,	A photo taken in poor light showing finished brick work on Eysey lock.
Lock keepers cottage Eysey Lock The cottage now nearly falling down. once housed the lock keeper.	Rucks Bridge This shows the condition of the bridge following restoration work by CCT.	Grade 2 listed buildings at Alex Farm,now being used as workshops by CCT.

Click photo for larger image

November 2011- update on local restoration work

The Cotswold Canal Trust (CCT) has continued work on Eysey Lock; the improvements to the lock are obvious when the photo is compared with the earlier photos shown on this page. They have taken a lease on buildings at Alex Farm, see photo, with the aim of using the Grade 2 listed buildings as maintenance and construction workshops. The buildings are currently being used to store equipment, make wooden posts etc for use on the western stretches of the canal near Stroud and CCT hope in the longer term to construct wooden lock gates on the site. During towpath clearance work, along local sections of the canal where old timber has been cut this has been recycled into logs for firewood this can be purchased on application to the trust see the link to their website.