Built between 1775 and 1779, the Stroudwater Navigation stretched from Framilode to Wallbridge in Stroud where it later connected with the Thames & Severn Canal to form a link between the River Severn and the River Thames. When completed the canal was eight miles long with twelve locks to take Severn trows, but by the beginning of the Second World War it had fallen into disuse and was virtually derelict. The canal was finally abandoned in 1954. Rescued from dereliction the landscape of the canal is constantly changing, with new bridges, repaired locks and many sections now containing water. The Cotswold Canal Trust intends restoring the canal so that vessels may once again proceed as far as Brimscombe. Michael Handford presents a fascinating snapshot of the on-going restoration work, contrasting the old images of the canal with many new photographs.
