The cut above Lower Wallbridge lock

I was very tired this morning but had to get going to meet Camilla at 10am to start my contribution to the Local Listing project. This is an output from the Neighbourhood Plan whereby all interesting buildings become recorded and their key features noted so that there is a record of the town centre.  Eventually once this is completed the aim is to extend this to cover the whole parish.

We are both trustees of the Stroud Preservation Trust whose idea it was to contribute this database.  So we set off to view all the relevant properties and their buildings, taking notes and a few key pictures which will be added to the records.

The area has been divided up between the volunteers, and I have been give the area around the original canal basin as a part of my section. We went to an old canal wharf warehouse building complex which have been converted into light industrial premises. While we were discussing the value of the building two volunteers of the canal restoration project asked us what we were doing.  I recognised Simon, who I had met before as he is a good friend of Helena. They showed us the newly restored Lower Wallbridge lock which is nearly complete which will allow the joining up of the final sections of the restored section of the Stroudwater canal.

I took this picture just above the lock showing the renovated banks and the canal actually filled with water again after nearly fifty years of abandonment. I'm really pleased to see this progress, though there is a lot more to be done at either end of this part of the project.