More than 100 people attended an open day hosted by Cotswold Canals Connected at a section of the ‘Missing Mile’ currently being excavated by Archaeology England.
The open day, on Thursday 29th September, was for members of the public to learn about the history of the site, examine finds and look at plans for the restoration works. There were three stalls at the event:
- Explaining the Missing Mile – Led by Darryl Rasdell, Project Manager for the ‘Missing Mile’
- Finds from the site – Led by Archaeology England and Cotswold Canals Connected Volunteers
- Discovering local history – Led by Cotswold Canals Connected partners, Stroudwater Navigation Archive Charity
Archaeological excavations are taking place in the field next to the A38 roundabout, soon to be named Hydes Basin. This field forms part of the ‘Missing Mile’, a section of the Stroudwater Navigation Canal that will be reconstructed after the original canal was infilled in the 1960s.
A recently built section of canal runs underneath the busy A38 roundabout at Whitminster. It includes two new bridges, a canal channel and towpath and was made possible thanks to a £4million grant by Highways England. The creation of Hydes Basin will be the next step in the restoration process, which will result in a large mooring area for boats and a a canalside café.
Over the six weeks of the dig, Archaeology England, with the help of Cotswold Canals Connected volunteers, discovered evidence relating to a Romano British settlement which included enclosures, ditches, and pits; from which artefacts such as pottery and animal bone were recovered. This material represents domestic rubbish from Romano British people and will help archaeologists to understand how they lived, what they ate, farming practices, potential local industries and trade links.
At the open day members of the public were able to examine finds from the site which included an ornate piece of Roman-era Samian ware, lots of black burnished ware fragments and a rare blue glass bead, found by a Cotswold Canals Connected volunteer.
Catherine Braun, Leader of Stroud District Council, who attended the event, said: “The archaeological open day was a great success! It was fantastic to see people of all ages interested in this site and the wider project to restore the canal for all to enjoy. It is really exciting to see the Cotswold Canals Connected project gain momentum, with community involvement and engagement a crucial part of the canal restoration work.”
For those who missed the open day, or those who came along and now want to learn more about the project, there will be another event during October half term, on a different section of the canal. The day will involve a self-led trail with a map that features the history of various locks along the canal, as well as a sneak peek into the busy workshop, Western Depot.
More information and details on how to secure a place will be posted on Cotswold Canals Connected social media channels and here on the website.
Cotswold Canals Connected is a partnership of organisations led by Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust which are restoring the canal network.
