The Lost Canal of the Cotswolds

The Lost Canal of the Cotswolds
A look at the now lost and original Stroudwater Navigation from the River Severn at Upper Framilode to the Gloucester and Sharpness Ship Canal at Saul Junction. We take a look at how the river Frome shaped the history of the canal, from the Cambridge Canal to the Cotswold Canals and what the future brings for the section. We take in the GHQ lines on the Stop line Green that protected Bristol, Sharpness and the industrial ports of the Severn from German/Nazi invasion including several Pillboxes. We also examine the flood defences that stop the great flood of 1607 happening again and how it buried the canal that Thomas Dadford Jnr helped plan.
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[@hooser-u8k]

Magical scenery been there

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It’s a very beautiful part of the world

[@1951timbo]

Really interesting Sir. I really enjoyed your video.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Thanks for watching and for the lovely comment

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the walking tour this day. Always an interesting walking tour with you. Enjoy your week ahead, and see you on the next, Steve! 😊

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

And you!

[@tomcarr1358]

It's a pain to have subscribers suggesting further detail on what you are covering.Each time you stop to take stock could you indicate on the canal trust/society plan where you are as you go into detail. Locals my find this irritating but I am not one.On the river near where I live the millers canalised the river to increase its power and then resorted to steam engines powered by coal brought up the canal then ran their mills using electricity.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It’s something I’m working on, I’ve been trying a few new things in recent videos. The main one is google earth studio. I like how Paul whitewick does a we are here map and then moves down the line but I can’t figure out how to do it! Steam came quite late to the Stroud area, in a future video I do I’ll talk more about it, they liked the straight rivers apparently as it sped up the wheels, they objected at first until they realised it was better for them!

[@AbandonedCityCamoCrewExplorers]

Explored so many pill boxes .that one in side is in good condition

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I regret not walking around the back! It was overgrown where the entrance would be so I assumed it’s sealed, it’s probably why it’s so good. We have a couple near to me (I live near the Avon) and they are usually full of rubbish

[@AbandonedCityCamoCrewExplorers]

@@CourtAboveTheCut where we live we must have around 20 to 30 all types of pill boxes . some in condition some not ,but yes best kept one are ones in the brambles hahah

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@AbandonedCityCamoCrewExplorers they are building a housing estate next to one near us and you know exactly what’s going to happen, it’s a shame nobody has any respect for history

[@davidh8664]

Excellent informative video as always ! Do you have the book "Lost Canals of England & Wales" by Ronald Russell published in 1971 ?

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

No, I keep getting told about it though!

[@davidh8664]

@@CourtAboveTheCut it's a great book and I refer to it when I watch your videos. It's full of very good info that would definitely help you with your research. Copies available on ebay !

[@hvee4]

So interesting to learn that the Stroudwater navigation still own the canal except for those 2 small lengths that are probably not going to be restored.. when I went along there a few weeks ago it certainly wasn’t that wet either.. great video again.. thank you 👍🏻

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I went less than a week before and it was all pretty firm, when I left for my walk on the day of filming it only took about an hour to walk down, do the filming and start heading back. It’s crazy how quick that river went up!

[@francisravenscroft-dw6gi]

I wonder if with changing weather- (and much more water! )these waterways will become more significant in the future. After all they where the life blood of the first industrial revolution.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@francisravenscroft-dw6gi they are very good for drainage, I think we will see more being restored paid for by councils for exactly that

[@francisravenscroft-dw6gi]

@@CourtAboveTheCut It might even dawn on the councils that the canals could be used to transport freight- saving the pollution and disturbance of HGV s :)

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@francisravenscroft-dw6gi yep, running freight on canals would use 1/7th the fuel running on roads. A toll could be paid which would support CRT and further canal restoration

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Interesting video, but, like you, I can't see that 'lost' stretch reopening, except maybe for a second marina, if the existing one proves inadequate. Nonetheless, it would be nice to see it navigable to say, Saul Bridge sometime in the future.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

The only issue would be water as it’s a drop down immediately from the Gloucester and Sharpness. A pump back system would work I guess so it isn’t wasted. There’s several spots where a marina could go but it is quite a large one already on the junction. It might be that they fill some spots first on the Cotswold canal when it opens in 5-10 years and then maybe look back at this old line

[@cawstongreenway]

That's interesting. I love the history aspect. I used to live in Hardwicke many decades ago (mid 1980's) so quite close, but the whole canal and even Gloucester Docks were pretty run-down and a bit of a no-go zone, especially at night. So different now, thank goodness.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Unfortunately if something doesn’t change with the CRT and government cuts then we will be back there in a few years.

[@OnlineopticsCoUk]

Im not into canals as such but this was a nice walk down memory lane... on the Sharpness junction is where my old school rowing club was Wycliffe College spent many a summer down there rowing those waters.... the Stroud canel went past one of my old houses on Frampton on Seven too great area... really enjoyed the video cheers

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

No problem thanks for watching! Wycliffe have been in several places along the canal, they were once near to the new road that goes from Stroud to stonehouse as well

[@janicebrinleycodd5801]

Yes please to the canalised river video

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It may take me a while, info is scarce!

[@hvee4]

Seconded…

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I’m already working on it and trying to get someone a little bigger on KZbin involved as well