Stourport and its basins

Stourport is the only town in Britain built solely for the canals, and was once the busiest inland port in the Midlands after Birmingham. In order to safely lift boats up from the River Severn to the canal, James Brindley built a series of locks and basins. At Stourport’s peak of activity, there were five basins in operation, with warehouses and homes for the workers built around the basins. By 1795 around 1300 people lived in the town.

A ferocious hub of development spread with brass and iron foundries, vinegar works, tan yards, worsted spinning mills, carpet manufacturers, boat building yards, wharfs, shops and inns.

The basins, locks and wharfs, and many of the cottages are now Grade II-listed. The former stables for the Tontine Hotel (now private apartments) house the Tontine Stable Heritage Room.

A Discovery Trail details more about the basins, their heritage and their regeneration. The basins have also been awarded the Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque.

www.transporttrust.com; www.transportheritage. com; www.stourporttown.co.uk

Traveline 0871 200 2233

Roadside near the canal or public car parks (charge).

ABC Boat Hire abcboathire.com

Anglo Welsh Waterway Holidays, Great Haywood www.anglowelsh.co.uk

Napton Narrowboats, Autherley Junction www. napton-marina.co.uk

Starline Narrowboats, Stourport-on-Severn www. starlinenarrowboats.co.uk

Stourport Steamer Company, Stourport-on-Severn www.riverboathire.co.uk

(Viking

Afloat),

Gailey www.