Nutshell Bridge
Nutshell Bridge, Church Lane, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1090681
- Date first listed:
- 24-Feb-1987
- List Entry Name:
- Nutshell Bridge
- Statutory Address:
- Nutshell Bridge, Church Lane, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 1999-08-02
- Reference:
- IOE01/00686/14
- Rights:
- © Mr JM Weager. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1090681
- Date first listed:
- 24-Feb-1987
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 22-Jul-2011
- List Entry Name:
- Nutshell Bridge
- Location Description:
- Bridge carrying Church Lane in Stonehouse over the Stroudwater Navigation.
- Statutory Address 1:
- Nutshell Bridge, Church Lane, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Nutshell Bridge, Church Lane, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Gloucestershire
- District:
- Stroud (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Stonehouse
- National Grid Reference:
- SO8005904924
Summary
An accommodation bridge over the Stroudwater Canal, built circa 1778 for the Stroudwater Canal Company.
Reasons for Designation
Nutshell Bridge, dating from circa 1778, is designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest: as part of the C18 Stroudwater Navigation
Intactness: the bridge is largely unaltered
Group value: with the adjacent Nutshell House and Nutshell Cottage, both listed at Grade II
History
The Stroudwater Navigation, built in 1775-9, was designed to link the River Severn at Framilode to Stroud, allowing coal to be brought from Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Forest of Dean to the textile mills of the Stroud valleys. The Thames and Severn Canal, constructed in 1783-9, was designed to run eastwards from Stroud, eventually linking the River Severn to the River Thames at Inglesham, near Lechlade. The Cotswold Canals, as they are also known, were generally successful, though the Thames and Severn in particular suffered serious technical failings which compromised its profitability; despite this, both canals continued in use well into the C20.
Nutshell Bridge was built circa 1778 on the Stroudwater Navigation, as an accommodation bridge. Its south end emerges alongside a house and cottage associated with the canal.
Details
MATERIALS: red brick, with ashlar keystones and springers.
DESCRIPTION: roughly rectangular on plan, its wing walls are gently curved outwards, and are battered, that to the south ending in pilasters; it is truncated at the south end where it meets Nutshell House and Nutshell Cottage. The arched opening is segmental; the arch has ashlar springers, and there is a plain curved string to the extrados. The parapet is plain, topped with mortar capping.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 132011
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Handford, M A, The Stroudwater Canal, (1979)
Handford, M A, Viner, D J, Stroudwater and Thames and Severn Canals Towpath Guide, (1984)
Tucker, J, The Stroudwater Navigation, (2003)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 20:53:08.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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