Ham Lock, Canal Bridge And Weir

MATERIALS: red brick with ashlar limestone dressings.

DESCRIPTION: the BRIDGE is set across the tail of the lock. Roughly rectangular on plan, its wing walls are gently curved outwards, and are battered, ending in pilasters. The arched opening is segmental, almost semi-circular. The arch has ashlar springers, and there is a plain curved string to the extrados. The parapet is plain, and it and the flank walls have plain stone copings. The LOCK has brick-built walls, which widen to the entrance at the south end. It has large stone copings and ashlar dressings at the gate positions, where there are iron fittings to the gateposts. One original lock-gate partially survives.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the group also includes the adjacent BY-WEIR, which formed part of the site's water management system. This structure is funnel-shaped and brick-built, with stone copings; this guides water to a small rectangular opening.

HISTORY: the Stroudwater Navigation, built in 1775-9, was designed to link the River Severn at Framilode to Stroud, allowing coal to be brought from Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Forest of Dean to the textile mills of the Stroud valleys. The Thames and Severn Canal, constructed in 1783-9, was designed to run eastwards from Stroud, eventually linking the River Severn to the River Thames at Inglesham, near Lechlade. The Cotswold Canals, as they are also known, were generally successful, though the Thames and Severn in particular suffered serious technical failings which compromised its profitability; despite this, both canals continued in use well into the C20.

The lock, bridge and by- weir at Ham Lock were constructed circa 1785, on a section of the Thames and Severn Canal approaching the Brimscombe Port exchange, which was designed to accommodate Severn trows rather than Thames barges.