Georgian Group Award Nomination and Visit
Here at the Cotswold Canal Trust, we are so proud of our diverse community of volunteers and members. Among them is Louise Nicholson, a local author and art historian. In 2022, Louise wrote a book entitled Reviving the Cotswold Canals – A Golden Celebration. Written to mark the Trust’s fifty year anniversary, it is about the canals’ past and vision for the future. Louise Writes about its environmental, biodiversity and community initiatives and reveals interesting and personal stories from volunteers across the trust. All of this sits alongside stunning and vibrant photographs by Mike Gallagher, a longstanding CCT volunteer.
This year, we are thrilled that CCT has been short-listed for a prestigious Georgian Group Award. The panel of judges each received a copy of Louise’s book with CCT’s application, so they could learn more about our achievements over the past 50 years. Then, on August 16th we welcomed two of the judges to inspect our canal restoration work and learn more about how we achieve it. They left with a much deeper understanding of the complexities of our enormous ambition, which involve preserving our heritage while caring for the ecology of the canals and their environment, and giving people an amazing free resource – a well-maintained, blue-green canal landscape to enjoy all year round.
During the judges’ visit, members of the trust explained various elements of our canal restoration work: John Newton provided an overview of the canal, Nick Rowson gave outlined the environment and ecology aspects of restoration and maintenance and Hugh Conway Jones gave a brief history the canals. The judges were also taken to visit areas of interest including Western Depot, Wallbridge Lock, Brimscombe Bookshop and Pike Lock.
In light of this, we sat down with Louise to ask her some questions about her book and the Cotswold canals.
Learn more about Louise’s book and purchase a copy here
How long have you been involved with The Cotswold Canals Trust?
In 2019, on my birthday, I took a walk along Stroudwater Canal towpath with Dot Newton, wife of CCT deputy chairman John Newton. It was magical. We ended at Wallbridge. John joined us for tea and cake at the café and I took out life membership there and then. One of the best things I’ve done. With membership comes The Trow magazine, four times a year. When it arrives I sit and read it cover to cover, astounded by what is being achieved.
What motivated you to write your book?
In April 2022, John Newton invited me for tea and cake – again, it seems to be the persuasive CCT combo! He said CCT needed to mark its golden anniversary that year and asked me to write a book about its achievements. We brainstormed some ideas and I agreed to write it. Later, I discovered I must deliver ‘print-ready copy’ which meant both writing the book and doing the design, photo research and layout – a steep learning curve. During those hectic months, I met so many remarkable people who give their time and skills to the canal restoration projects, all of them so humble. I met inventors, engineers, environmentalists, archivists, boat skippers, and more. I met team leaders for towpath clearance and menders of engines for dredgers. What impressed me was the vast range of the restoration project. It was not just about cleaning up dirty, reed-filled canal water; it included the towpath, the land either side, the locks, the bridges, and raising the funds to do it all. The team spirit was incredible, as was the liaison with other charities, and with local and national agencies. It began to feel as if restoring the canals was a Stroud valleys project that the whole population was part of. With the support of many people, the book was printed just in time for the AGM in November.
What’s your favourite memory along the canal?
As part of my research for the book I walked the canal from Framilode beside the River Severn along all the sections of towpath that are restored up to Letchlade, by The Thames. My favourite canal memory is the smiling happiness of every person I passed, a happiness generated by being beside the canal. There might be additional trees or fields or magnificent mills, but it was clearly the canal that created their wellbeing.
What’s your favourite part of the canal?
I have two, each quite different. One is near where I live, along the restored canal from Ebley’s urban liveliness to the open fields of The Ocean (in winter, I might pause at Stonehouse Court Hotel for a toasted cheese sandwich in front of the bar’s roaring fire). The other is from Chalford to The Daneway Pub, through the fairyland of ancient Siccaridge Woods where in springtime the birds sing and the sumptuously overgrown canal is full of flags showing off their yellow blossoms.
What would you recommend first-time visitors do when they visit the canal?
L Firstly, look at the map! The canal is very long, it stretches from the River Severn all the way to the River Thames. There are all sorts of different vibes along it. At Letchlade, you can take a trip boat and hang out at a canalside cafe or pub. In contrast, a good chunk of unrestored canal runs through huge Cotswold Water Park and is part of several good circular walks mixing canal and lakes – find it near Lake 6, where the new CCT information centre is – and a handy map. Saul is a great spot, where Stroudwater Canal meets the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Here, you can get early breakfast at the cafe, watch the anglers, runners, dog-walkers and boatbuilders, and choose between three routes to walk: crack on across the fields to Framilode and the Severn, go up the G&S Canal towpath all the way to Gloucester Docks, or walk east across the field where the canal will be restored next – if you do this one, pause to visit Eastington’s St Michael and All Angels church to enjoy its Roman font, fine monuments and splendid glass by Thomas Denny and Richard Webb. And those are just a start….
The Georgian Group is a British conservation organisation dedicated to the protection of historic buildings built between 1700 and 1837. Not only do they save, restore and prevent the destruction of Georgian buildings, they also work towards raising public awareness, knowledge and appreciation of Georgian architecture and town planning.
