Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 166,968 pages of information and 246,678 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Gloucester Docks

From Graces Guide
1961. Gloucester Docks.

On the River Severn at Gloucester

1580 Gloucester was given the formal status of a port by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I. From that time, the coastline of the Severn estuary north-east of the Aust/Beachley area came under the jurisdiction of a new custom house at Gloucester. This meant that vessels could trade directly between Gloucester and foreign ports without having to call in at Bristol. However, few foreign-going vessels were seen at the Quay because of the difficulties of navigating the shallow tidal stretch of the River Severn approaching the city.

c.1783 The first stage in the development of Gloucester's docks was the proposal to construct a basin at the terminus of a ship canal bypassing the obstacles on the Severn below the city.

1794 Construction of the basin started, next to the Naight, a small island in the Severn a short way below the city quay, with a canal running southwards to the river at Berkeley. Stone quays were built along the north and west sides of the basin and an earth bank was left on the east side where it was proposed to enlarge the dock later.

1799 with the completion of the lock, the basin was ready for use but work on the canal, which had been dug as far as Hardwicke, was halted.

1812 The basin was opened to vessels from the river following the construction of the horse tramway between Gloucester and Cheltenham.

1827 The Main Basin at Gloucester was constructed as the terminus of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. As the work was nearing completion, there was concern that the basin would not be large enough for the trade expected, so an additional Barge Arm was constructed to ensure that the Main Basin could be kept free for sea-going ships. In addition, the Canal Company built a warehouse at the north end of the basin. The canal was formally opened on the 26 April 1827.

1874 After the new dock at Sharpness was opened to accommodate the larger ships then in use, cargo handling activities gradually declined at Gloucester, and in due course customs administration moved to Sharpness.


See Also

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Sources of Information

  • [1] Gloucester Docks
  • [2] British history online