Mon 20 May 1844
From E W Mason, superintendent
Cainscross
List of repairs and amendments made on the Stroudwater Navigation and its Buildings by Mr Mason.
A list of the repairs and amendments affected upon the Stroudwater Navigation & Buildings. A considerable portion of the repairs being under water and out of sight I have communicated the most considerable of them --
George Basham's men 67 days throwing mud at Ebley, Dudbridge & Ryeford.
The locks at Dudbridge partly repaired.
The wall adjoining Mr King's Mill at Ryeford repaired and pointed the whole length.
Some Gravel & Mud thrown out of the Canal at Stonehouse Wharf.
12 Oak Water Posts fixed in the Bank of the Canal at the Towing path gates.
12 new Oak gates with posts erected.
Stone and gravel thrown out a Stonehouse Wharf.
The Wharf enclosed with a 7ft fence, gates, &c.
The Bridge parapet there underpind.
The Ocean Bridge Wall repair'd and pointed.
A considerable quantity of gravel and mud thrown out at Bonds Mill Bridge & Rack Hill.
The old drain restored with a sluice.
A great quantity of gravel and mud thrown out at Roving Bridge the Canal deepen'd and a piece of new Wall built there upward of 30ft Long back'd with old Bricks from Westfield Bridge.
A quantity of gravel thrown out at Top Lock & on the lower side; and the Canal deepen'd.
The Top Lock side walls repair'd 7000 Black Bricks used there.
A Stop Gate Sill and groves made.
The Top and Bottom of Lock Head walls repair'd.
A New Heel to Lock Gate, planking to all the gates.
Back planking. New swing poles. One new paddle frame. Two new paddles. New lightenings and sills repair'd. The gates Jarr'd. The Lock cleaned out which had not been done for 13 years.
The gates at Blunder Lock repair'd new lightenings & 2 New paddles.
Basham's Men 30 days wheel'd out Mud at the Entrance of the Lock. The Lock pump'd out and the Mud clear'd the gates Jarr'd a new paddle frame & Paddle.
A New Weir Arch and area Wall rebuilt and made larger.
10ft of New drain Arch and Head wall rebuilt at a lower foundation.
Gravel & Mud thrown out above and below Lock.
A New Arch and Weir wall at Pile Lock, the Lock pump'd out and partly cleansed 2 New paddles.
Gravel & Mud thrown out above and below Lock.
Lock gates partly plank'd new ? lightenings repair'd.
Easington Bridge foundation repair'd and pointed.
Critchley's lyeby deepened and also Griffins a large quantity of Clay thrown out at this place.
Mud thrown out at the Entrance into the Dock and at Dock Lock upper and lower side. Walls of Lock cut to admit Two Boats. Lock pump'd out to repair Sills and lower paddles. The Gates partly plank'd new. B'k planke'd. Tarr'd. &c.
Head wall of Dock Lock repaired.
Docks repair'd, pointed Wash'd &c gate repair'd and also the drain. The side wall ? at the Entrance repair'd & pointed.
A New Bridge Built foundations dug out and completed in 6 days to Entrance into the Platt Yard from the Road.
The Old mud boat dug out after being sunk 17 years and floated to Docks to be broken up, the Old materials afterward used in piling the Canal Banks.
Westfield Lock Head Walls repair'd Lock gates partly plank'd a New pair of swing poles fixed paddle repair'd Lower gates mended Sills of upper ? ? gates Jarr'd Lock pump'd out and Mud thrown.
The Weir repaired, the Arch of do repair'd, the old sluice dug out and restored.
Dock Lock Pound alongside of Dock deepened.
Forked pound deepened and widened the whole length.
A great quantity of Mud wheel'd out from Lower side of Westfield Bridge the canal here widen'd to admit Barges to pass Limestone & Bricks removed and carried off.
Sand and Gravel at Entrance to Bristol Road Lock thrown out. The Lock gates repair'd Two pair of New swing poles hung gates Jarr'd &c.
The Old Weir Brook at Organs garden clear'd of Sand, Bricks, &c Brook widen'd & deepened. The wall there built principally of Old materials.
Roving Bridge, Arch, Wing Walls and parapet extensively repair'd, pointed and twice washed with Lime.
Eastington Bridge repair'd, pointed and twice washed.
Critchley's Wharf levelled, and enlarged. Privy built.
Organ's privy removed and rebuilt. Sawpit do.
Weir wall and weir repair'd.
The Dock Yard enclosed, levelled and gravell'd.
Westfield Bridge taken down and rebuilt with Blue Bricks a New ? made.
Bengoughs Bridge Rebuilt with red Bricks.
Lockham Bridge extensively repair'd, pointed & wash'd.
Capstan at Framilode erected, The Yard there levelled &c.
Ice Boat Timber provided and sawn out.
Saul Bridge Wing Walls and parapet extensively repair;d.
New Flood gates and frame at Lodgemore feeder.
The Old Timber Tanks clear'd; a New one provided and some Timber placed in.
The Lime Kiln removed and rebuilt with a Coal store.
The Banks where most defective have been piled in Blunder Lock pound, Pike Lock pound, Dock Lock P'd on both sides, Forked pound, Westfield Bridge and Top Lock pound, together about one Mile in Length.
Sundry slipping and mooring posts fix'd.
The Fences and Railings at Framilode, Dudbridge, Wallbridge & Eastington have been repair'd.
The Warehouse floor at Wallbridge, the ? at Framilode, the Warehouse, Organs Carpenters shop and House have all gone under repair.
About 50 Tons of Stone have been burnt into lime,
Sand, Drift & Coal ashes collected for Mortar.
The Canal Banks and Towing paths Levelled, Widen'd and the Mud and gravel Boated & Haul'd off the various places for deposit near a quarter of an acre of Land made out of the Old Brook thereby.
In effecting all the various repairs Materials of considerable value have been bought and there is still on Hand for use about £100 worth in Bark, Stone, Brick, Timber ? Tar Paint &c.
NB There are many minor repairs which may be too trifling to ?.
