Former Coal Pens Near Canal Cottages
FORMER COAL PEN NEAR CANAL COTTAGES
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1389341
- Date first listed:
- 07-Feb-2002
- List Entry Name:
- Former Coal Pens Near Canal Cottages
- Statutory Address:
- FORMER COAL PEN NEAR CANAL COTTAGES
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1389341
- Date first listed:
- 07-Feb-2002
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 21-Jun-2011
- List Entry Name:
- Former Coal Pens Near Canal Cottages
- Statutory Address 1:
- FORMER COAL PEN NEAR CANAL COTTAGES
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:
- FORMER COAL PEN NEAR CANAL COTTAGES
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:
- SO8130504617
Summary
Coal pens on the the south side of the Stroudwater Navigation. Built in 1864 for the Marling family who were prominent local mill owners.
Reasons for Designation
The coal pens at Ryeford are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Rarity: a substantially complete set of enclosure walls to rare, surviving examples of pens for the storage and handling of coal on the Stroudwater Canal
* Historic interest: in view of their relationship to the historically-important Stroud Valley, an industrial area which includes some early and architecturally-distinguished textile mills
* Group value: they form a strong group of canal-related structures, including the Grade II listed Ryeford Bridge
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.
Shipments of coal and other materials were carried on the Stroudwater Navigation to supply the textile mills of the Stroud Valley. The coal pens at Ryeford were built in 1864 for the Marling family, owners of Ebley and Stanley Mills (Grade II* and Grade I respectively). They were built to a high standard and were used for the storage and handling of coal that had been brought to the site by barge and was subsequently transported by road to their mills. The limestone used to construct the walls of the pens came from the Marling's own quarry on Selsey Common. Brick examples of similar pens do survive in the West Midlands, but they lack the distinctive appearance of the Ryeford coal pens and do not have the direct historical associations and context of these examples.
Details
MATERIALS: the walls are built of limestone.
PLAN: a series of walled enclosures with curved corners to allow easy access for carts.
DESCRIPTION: the enclosure walls are built mostly of coursed and dressed limestone and some ashlar with stone copings. There are two shutes which have stone sills in the canal-facing (north) elevation. These formerly had timber boards which were hinged at the bottom to facilitate the unloading of coal by wheelbarrow along planks from barges to the pen. Set at an angle, to the left (east) of these openings, is a gateway with chamfered jambs and a late-C19 wrought-iron gate.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 487983
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Tucker, J, The Stroudwater Navigation, (2003), 158-62
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 22:07:20.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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