Wednesday 29th
May 2019
We explored Stourport-on-Severn today. This is the location at which
the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal joins the River Severn and the town
owes its very existence to the canal.
The Staffs and Worcs Canal was built immediately after the Trent and
Mersey and, in effect, joined the Rivers Trent, Mersey and Severn. After this,
only the line down to the Thames was necessary to complete the skeleton outline
of Britain’s canal network as James Brindley, the engineer, envisioned.
The canal was an immediate success and Stourport grew rapidly as an
inland port, said to be the prettiest and most interesting. It would have been
a bustling place with cargoes coming down from the Potteries and Birmingham for
transhipment onto Severn Trows for carriage down to the ports of Gloucester and
Bristol.
The port itself consists of two big, adjoining basins with two sets of
locks down to the river, one narrow gauge, formed of two sets of staircase
locks, and one broad. The narrow locks have a capacity of approximately 24,000
gallons, whereas the capacity of the broad locks is 93,000. There are numerous,
cleverly arranged sluices and overflows connecting the basins, canal and river,
all to maintain the various levels.
Within the complex are numerous, interesting buildings. Iconic amongst
them is the Clock Tower, the clock of which, still works and chimes on the
hour. There is a drydock and lots of warehousing, all now converted into apartments
with numerous other new-builds, built to conform. The Wharf, now a pub/restaurant,
is said to be the oldest, survivng wharf building on the canal system. The
Tontine Hotel was built in 1788 to accommodate the various merchants and
visitors, today it is an apartment block.
Away from the basins is the very attractive Severn Side cottages with
extensive stabling blocks and the busy, riverside Angel pub.
Passing through an old archway, we came to an industrial area that
contained a number of very forlorn, disused canal buildings, housing, factories
and warehouses. A shame they are not maintained but, unfortunately for them, they
are away from the public eye.
Scenes around
Stourport Canal Basins
The Old Wharf
The canal basis are an oasis of peace that is separate from the town
itself which is a very busy place. The roads through the town are continuously busy
with heavy traffic and the place is considered to be “Stourport-on-Sea” for the
Brummies, who flock here at weekends and holiday periods. There is even a
static fairground that has been here for 120 years, a park with crazy golf,
skateboarding, a paddling pool and various other entertainments and amusement
arcades throughout the town.
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