Lydney Harbour

This canal and basin complex was built by the Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Company between 1810 and 1813 and a horse drawn tramway was laid, to move the coal and iron to the wharves after it was brought down from the pits and forges on the Pidcocks Canal. A new dock on the estuary was started in 1809 and opened in 1813. The outer harbour was built and finally completed in 1821 and the tramway extended all the way down. The north pier was extended in 1825 to aid ships into the harbour.

Lydney Harbour continued to host sailing ships right up to the 1950s. The coal mining industry contracted after the First World War and the mines closed in the Forest from the 1920s, with the final export of coal from the harbour in 1960.

The harbour carried on working up to 1970s by importing logs for the manufacture of plywood at the factory at Pine End. Finally, in 1976, the British Transport Docks Board closed the port by walling in the tidal basin. In 1980 the harbour, including the lower and tidal basins and the pier, were designated Scheduled Ancient Monument status.

The refurbishing of Lydney Docks began in May 2002, when the outer lock gates were re-opened, following the removal of large amounts of silt, funded though the Heritage Lottery Fund. A £1.9M project saw the Environment Agency develop a marina, with mooring facilities for around 50 boats which was completed in 2005.

Mud continues to be a problem as can be seen in this image and I wonder whether the lower lock gates are currently useable.