River Frome, Stroud

The Frome rises from several springs at Nettleton (about a mile southeast of Birdlip)[5] and in springs at Climperwell Farm (southwest of Brimpsfield). The two branches meet just south of Caudle Green and Syde in Miserden Park,[6] a grade II* listed house with park and garden, which was begun by Sir William Sandys in 1620, and remodelled in the 20th century by Edwin Lutyens after fire damage in 1919.[7] The Frome continues to meander its way south passing the site of Edgeworth Mill and forming the western boundary of Pinbury Park, a wooded area containing early 20th century terraced gardens and a country house dating from the 16th century.[8] It continues to flow to the south and west past disused mills at Henwood and Dorvel to reach Daneway and Sapperton, where the derelict Thames and Severn Canal emerges from Sapperton tunnel. The canal is initially on the north bank of the river, and runs parallel to the river for most of the rest of its course. Holy Brook, which flows southwards, passes under the canal to join the river. As it enters Golden Valley to the north of Frampton Mansell, it is joined by the Golden Valley line, a railway which runs from Swindon to Gloucester and emerges from the Sapperton railway tunnel nearby.[6]

Near Puck Mill Upper Lock, the canal crosses to the south side of the river, and there is a large reservoir,[6] built to supply water to the Thames and Severn Canal.[9] The reservoir is some 300 yards (270 m) long and could hold 3.25 million imperial gallons (14.8 Ml). In order to ensure it could be filled, the canal company bought Puck's Mill, which was located upstream from its intake.[10] The mill house dates from the 17th century, with a 1960s extension.[11] The river continues westwards to Chalford industrial estate, where it is crossed by the A419 Cowcombe Hill bridge and the canal. It is spanned by the New Mill at Bliss Mill, built by William Dangerfield in 1870, and consisting of three storeys with 18 bays.[12] A small bridge with a single arch carries the Bisley to Minchinhampton road over the river. It was built around 1800 when the road was diverted.[13] Below the bridge is the mill pond for Belvedere Mill, an early 19th century cloth mill now reused as offices.[14] Brookside is a detached three-storey house dating from the late 17th century, with two-storey additions made in 1730, which was part of Iles's Mill.[15]

Both the river and canal are crossed by the railway, which moves to the north side of the valley. To the west is St Mary's Mill, build in 1820 for Samuel Clutterbuck.[16] Nearby is St Mary's House, built for the mill owner in the late 16th century, and several weavers' cottages, some dating from the late 16th century and some from the late 17th century.[17] A second mill building lies just to the north of St Mary's Mill. It dates from the early 18th century, and has a mid 19th century chimney.[18] After passing Wimberley Mills, a railway viaduct carries the railway back to the south side of the valley, passing between the buildings of Bourne Mills, on the southern edge of Brimscombe.[6] The main mill building is to the north of the railway track, and consists of a four-storey block with a three-storey block forming an 'L' shaped plan. Most of it dates from the early 19th century, but one corner was cut off and rebuilt to allow for the construction of the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in 1844, and the east wall appears to have been rebuilt at the same time.[19] Nearby is another small mill building with three storeys, also dating from the early 19th century, which was probably once a gig mill,[20] while to the south of the railway viaduct is a former wool stove, where scoured and dyed wool was heated to dry it out. Prior to cloth manufacture, there were two fulling mills there in 1690, and part of the site was used as a corn mill in 1820. By 1860, it was making mattress-wool, mill-puff and shoddy, which had been superseded by cabinet making by 1901. After making walking sticks in the mid-20th century, the site is now used for light industry, and the wool stove is used as a store.[21]

To the western end of Brimscombe Port, where goods were transferred between trows from the River Severn and Thames barges from the Thames, was Port Mill. This was probably the site of Field's Mill, which was operational in the 17th century, but had been rebuilt as Port Mill by 1744. Brimscombe Port was constructed around 1785, and had to take account of the mill, with the canal crossing the river to the west of the mill. The mill consists of a central water tower with three ranges attached to it, and was used for cloth production until the early 20th century. In 1948 it became Benson's Tool Works, and has since been converted into offices.[22] After Brimscombe Port, the river turns northwest towards Stroud. The large mill pond that formerly powered Brimscombe Mill is still fed by the river, but that for Hope Mill has been filled in. A trading estate occupies the site of the Phoenix Iron Works, after which is Ham Mill. This consists of a four-storey block dating from the early 19th century, with a three-storey west wing. The pit for the water wheel is thought to be intact within the wing.[23] Nearby are two small bridges dating from the early or mid 18th century, which now stand in a private garden.[24] The river continues through the Griffin Mill estate to reach Stafford Mills.[25]

The Golden Valley in Autumn

At Bowbridge a 19th century dye works, now used as a warehouse by Orchard and Peers is all that remains of Bowbridge Mill.[26] The millpond for Arundell Mill still exists, and the associated 17th century dye works has become a carpenter's shop and a cottage.[27] The canal crosses to the north side of the river, and a viaduct carries the railway over the river and Dr Newton's Way, a bypass built over the course of the canal, which now has its own bypass around the road. Beyond the viaduct is Stroud railway station. The narrow strip of land bordering the river to the south of the bypass is managed as Frome Banks nature reserve. It is owned by the county council, but day to day management is the responsibility of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Stroud Valleys Project.[28] The river loops in a semi-circle around the site of Wallbridge Mills, where the two-storey Wallbridge Mill Printing Department still stands, the building dating from the 18th century.[29] The A46 Bath Road crosses before the river reaches Lodgemoor Mills, rebuilt in 1871-73 to the designs of James Ferrabee, an architect from Brimscombe, after a fire destroyed the previous mill, dating from 1815. Nearby offices, cottages and a bridge form a group of listed buildings,[30] which are complemented by Fromehall Mills, immediately downstream. The main building dates from the early 19th century, but some of the other buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries.[31]

The river continues under the A419/A46 roundabout at Dudbridge and is joined by the Nailsworth Stream, flowing northwards from Avening and Nailsworth. Just before the junction, Nailsworth Stream fed Dudbrige Flour Mill, a five-storey building dating from 1849[32] which is now hemmed in by the car park of a Sainsbury's supermarket. A little further to the west is Ebley Mill, a woollen mill that was built for Stanley and Stephen Clissold in 1818. A clock tower and extension were added in 1862, and the building was extensively refurbished in 1987-90 to become the offices for Stroud District Council.[33] The next extant mill site is that of Ebley Corn Mills, where the present three-storey building dates from the early 19th century.[34] Soon afterwards, the river splits into two channels at a series of weirs. The southern branch is crossed by the A419 Ebley bypass, which at this point follows the course of the former Nailsworth Branch of the Midland Railway. A large mill pond lies to the north of the channel, which formerly powered Stanley Mills. The mill building and offices date from 1813, with additional buildings dating from 1825. It was originally a five-storey 'L'-shaped building, one of the early attempts to build a fireproof building, using a cast iron frame with brick cross vaulting and flagstone floors. Benjamin Gibbons manufactured the iron work, which is of exceptional quality, and the mill survived a major fire in 1884. Because of the quality of the brickwork and ironwork, the building is grade I listed. It was still used in the manufacture of cloth in 1985.[35] The site also retains some storage buildings dating from 1815,[36] and the power loom shed, built in 1854 to house the first power looms used at the mill.[37]

The southern channel continues through the hamlet of Stanley Downton and under a viaduct on the Bristol to Exeter Railway to reach Beard's Mill. The workshops, dating from the late 18th century are listed buildings,[38] and form a group with Leonard Stanley House, once the mill owner's house dating from 1800 and 1830 but now converted into three houses,[39] and Splash Cottage, built for the mill manager in the late 18th century.[40] Millend Mill was one of three built by the clothier Henry Hicks in the parish of Eastington between 1790 and 1820, this one occupying the site of a 14th century mill. It had been converted to a corn mill by 1939, and was out of use by 1968.[41] Shortly afterwards, the river rejoins the northern channel. From its beginning, this runs close to the Stroudwater Navigation and under the buildings which were formerly Ryeford Saw Mill. It then passes under the A419 Ebley Bypass, to reach Upper Mills, built in 1875 for the cloth manufacturer R S Davies.[42] Beyond it, a late 18th century bridge with two segmental arches carries Downton Road over the river, and to the south of Stonehouse the river passes through the railway embankment on the Bristol to Exeter Railway to reach Bond's Mill. The complex of channels further downstream were once part of Churchend Woollen Mills, and then the two channels reunite.[6]

An underpass was constructed when the M5 motorway was built, and this will probably be shared with the Stroudwater Navigation when that is restored to link it back to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Frome Bridge carries the A38 road over the river, which then powered Fromebridge Mill. There has been a mill at the site since the Domesday Book was compiled in 1086, and it has been used for corn, fulling, wire and brass, and the production of animal feed. The present building dates from the late 18th century, with 19th century additions.[43] On the final section, it occupies the course of the Stroudwater Navigation for a short distance, passes under the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal as two separate channels at Saul Junction and enters the River Severn at a sluice at Upper Framilode.[6]

At Caudle Green the eastern side of the valley rises to the North Sea/Atlantic watershed, approximately one mile to the east. The Frome basin shares a length of this watershed feeding into the River Thames to the east (via the River Churn) and the Severn to the West (via the Frome).

There were several plans to make the Frome navigable, the first occurring between 1697 and 1700, for a scheme to upgrade the river from the Severn to Stroud. It would bring coal to the flourishing woollen industry, and carry away their finished products, but the plan faced concerted opposition from the large number of mill owners, who depended on the river for their water power. In 1728, a new scheme was proposed, for a navigable canal of 8.25 miles (13.3 km) with 12 locks. An Act of Parliament was obtained in 1730, with support from all of the mill owners above Stroud, but opposition from some below the town. Despite the mention of a canal, it was essentially a plan to enlarge and straighten the river, with some new cuts, and the locks were probably to be flash locks, with a single gate. Commissioners were appointed, but the scheme languished, with a growing feeling that making the river navigable was not possible because of the large number of mills.[44]

One of the commissioners, John Dallaway, did not let the idea drop, and proposed a new scheme in 1754, running for 9.5 miles (15.3 km) from the Severn to Wallbridge. It would include 16 locks and four stanks, the precise details of which are unclear, and to prevent it affecting the mill owners, a 2-acre (0.8 ha) reservoir would be built at Wallbridge, which would be filled on Sundays, when the mills were not working. Over half of the money needed was subscribed, but the plan was dropped in 1756,[45] when an alternative was suggested by John Kemmett, Thomas Bridge and two other gentlemen. This would involve building walls beside the mill weirs, some 12 feet (3.7 m) thick, on which cranes would be mounted. Cargo would be carried in boxes, which would be moved from a boat at one level to one at the other level by the cranes. An Act of Parliament was obtained in 1759, which specified 29 September 1761 as the date by which the work had to be completed. Some progress was made, but a six-year extension to the time limit was granted in 1761. Nearly 5 miles (8 km) of river were altered, probably from the Severn to Chippenham Platt, but the works were then abandoned. The boats were too large for the tiny river, the costs were prohibitive, while the difficulties of transferring the goods over 14 walls were likely to be time consuming and damaging to the cargo.[46]

By 1774, the art of canal building was much better understood, and an Act of Parliament obtained in 1776[47] resulted in the construction of the Stroudwater Navigation. It was a canal separate from the river, which reached Chippenham Platt at the end of 1777, and was opened to Wallbridge, just under 8 miles (13 km) from the Severn at Familode Lock, on 21 July 1779. Navigation was extended up the valley by the opening of the first part of the Thames and Severn Canal to Brimscombe Port in 1784, and its completion through to the River Thames at Lechlade in 1789.[48]

The river channel has undergone significant modification as a result of the large number of mills built along its length, and this can be seen in the number of splits where the river follows two parallel channels.[49] There is also evidence of man-made channels,[50] sections where the channel is perched higher than the surrounding land, and the remains of former channels.[51] Between Whitminster and the hamlet of Wheatenhurst, the river and the Stroudwater Navigation were on a similar level, and the canal entered the river to cross from its north side to its south side at Whitminster lock. However, this arrangement proved to be unsatisfactory, since the river powered Whitminster Mill, and consequently river levels varied depending on how much water the mill was using, making navigation unreliable. The canal company built a new channel, and the river passed under it through the Lockham inverted syphon.[52]

The Thames and Severn Canal was abandoned in 1933[53] and the Stroudwater Navigation ceased to carry any trade in 1941, although it was not formally abandoned until an Act of Parliament was obtained in 1954.[54] Shortly afterwards, the canal channel through Stroud was used as part of a flood relief scheme.[55] The top gates of Lower Wallbridge Lock, Foundry Lock and Dudbridge Lock were replaced by concrete weirs, which maintained water levels at normal flows around 3.3 feet (1.0 m) lower than navigable levels had been. Three streams that formerly passed under the canal were diverted into it: Slad Brook (much of which is culverted under Stroud), Painswick Stream and Ruscome Brook. Then at Ebley, the canal was joined to the river. As a consequence, this part of the canal is classed as a "main river".[56]

As this section of the canal has now been restored and the locks put back into use, designs for reinstatement had to accommodate large flows and included underground bywash culverts, capable of carrying the full flood flow of all three streams.[57] A new weir which carries a towpath bridge was constructed where the water leaves the canal to enter the River Frome,[58] and a set of floodgates was constructed beyond the weir, to protect the canal from high water levels.[59]

After the closure of the canal in 1954, land drainage work resulted in the Lockham syphon being removed. To the west of the syphon, the canal and river ran parallel to one another, with a narrow strip of land between them. To improve the capacity of the river channel, the intervening strip of land was removed, and bulldozed into the southern side of the canal. This produced a much wider channel for the river, consisting of the original channel together with the northern side of the canal.[60] With funding for the reinstatement of the canal approved, this section should be navigable by late 2023, and will involve the canal and river again sharing a channel, with the two parting at Whitminster lock, just upstream of Whitminster weirs.[61]

Whitminster Mill had been demolished by 1880.[62] In the early 1970s, the weirs at Whitminster were modified, so that much of the water flowing down the river could be diverted into the remains of the Stroudwater Navigation, and from there into the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.[63] This water is abstracted from the canal near Sharpness, and treated by Bristol Water's Purton Treatment Works. Work on the Purton site began on 24 August 1970, and a 46-inch (1.2 m) pipeline was constructed to carry the treated water to Pucklechurch service reservoir, 17.8 miles (28.6 km) away. The project cost £8.8 million and provided a new water supply for Bristol, with the works commencing operation in April 1973.[64]

The route of the river at Brimscombe Port is set to be changed as part of the redevelopment of the port for the reinstatement of the Thames and Severn Canal. Planning permission was obtained in March 2021 for infrastructure improvements, which include the demolition of modern additions to Port Mill.[65] A new channel for the canal and a new bed for the river will be constructed further to the south, and the old river bed, which was culverted to allow Port Mill to be extended, will be filled in.[66]