A Milestone Moment | Oldbury Pound Section Refilled During National Lottery Heritage Fund Visit
The restoration of the “Missing Mile” of the Stroudwater Navigation reached an exciting milestone on Wednesday 18 March, as water flowed once again into Oldbury Pound at Eastington near Stonehouse – the first section of the “Missing Mile”.
Representatives from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside leaders from the Cotswold Canals Connected partnership, joined our volunteers to turn on the pumps that began filling the restored stretch of canal between John Robinson Lock and Dock Lock.
This short section of canal, known as a pound, is the first part of the Missing Mile to be reconstructed from scratch since sections of the waterway were filled in during construction of the M5 motorway in the late 1960s.
Volunteer Effort
Volunteers from the Cotswold Canals Trust played a vital role in preparing this section for water. Over many months they carefully dredged the abandoned channel, installed a new pipe system to separate Oldbury Brook from the canal, and relined the canal bed with clay to make it watertight.
This moment is incredibly rewarding for the volunteers who have worked so hard on this section of canal. Over the past year, in all weathers, our teams have carefully dredged the abandoned channel, installed a new system to separate Oldbury Brook from the canal, and relined it with clay ready for refilling. Seeing water return to the Oldbury Pound is a proud milestone and a real sign of progress.
Western Depot Restoration Volunteers
More Than a Canal
The Cotswold Canals Connected project, led by a partnership between the Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust, has already restored five miles of canal between Thrupp and Eastington.
As a Council we recognise the benefits of the canal restoration in so many ways – for the environment, to communities, for heritage and to the local economy, and will enhance Stroud and Stonehouse’s reputation as canal towns once again.
Deputy Leader of Stroud District Council
The restoration will also deliver a fully accessible towpath connecting Stroud to Gloucester and Sharpness, creating a new route for walking and cycling alongside the canal.
Meanwhile, the project’s environmental programme, led by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, is transforming the landscape along the canal corridor, creating new wetlands, restoring traditional orchards and planting hedgerows to support wildlife.
Together, these improvements are helping create a vital wildlife corridor while reconnecting communities across the Stroud Valleys, Stonehouse, Gloucester and the Severn Vale.
Press
The milestone also attracted media attention, with BBC Points West and ITV West Country News visiting to film the event and speaking to CCT volunteers Pat and Andy, who have been closely involved in the restoration work at Oldbury Brook. Stroud District Council also issued a press release to share the news more widely.
The footage was aired on the 18th March on ITV West Country News and tbc with BBC Points West.
