| Work began on our
first Gloucestershire site over the Easter period in 1990 at Oxenhall where a stretch of
some ¾ mile will be restored. Excavation has been carried out between Cold Harbour Lane
Bridge and the Oxenhall Tunnel and the brickwork of the tunnel portal has been rebuilt.
The brick stable (or "leggers’ rest" - we still debate the building’s
purpose) has also been rebuilt and pointed. The Trust was given the lock cottage, House Lock (which is a listed building),
the aquaduct over the Ell Brook and ¼ mile of canal by Robin Stiles. Interest recently
has focused on the lock and the cottage. The cottage has been sold, which swelled our
funds, and much of the lock has been restored with some help from the Waterway Recovery
Group (WRG) though the lock is still without gates.
The overflow weir was an interesting part
of the project because it was totally buried under the concrete floors of the cottage's
outbuildings. Without drawings to guide us we had to carefully investigate the remains so
that our restoration could be as faithful as possible.
Stop planks were inserted and the pound
above the lock was filled early in 1998 so that water spilled over the weir for the first
time in 100 years. |
