I think this is only the Lydney Canal. Pidcock’s Canal ran northwards from the end of it, to serve Middle Forge, New Mills and Upper Forge. These are still marked on modern maps, and the canal ran more or less parallel to the later railway. There are also bits of water marked “The Cut” which allign exactly with those on the 1880s map.
I have been poring over the 1880 OS map, and between Middle Mill and Lower Mill, the modern route of The Cut follows the historic route. Between Lower Mill and the Lydney Canal, it broadly does so, although there were two parallel channels. Between Upper Mill and Middle Mill, the Victoria County History for Gloucestershire, Volume 5, says that the Forge Ponds swallowed up the route, and there is no indication of the course by 1880, although the valley is quite narrow, so options are limited.
I think this is only the Lydney Canal. Pidcock’s Canal ran northwards from the end of it, to serve Middle Forge, New Mills and Upper Forge. These are still marked on modern maps, and the canal ran more or less parallel to the later railway. There are also bits of water marked “The Cut” which allign exactly with those on the 1880s map.
This is another unfinished one. I’m still working on it.
I have been poring over the 1880 OS map, and between Middle Mill and Lower Mill, the modern route of The Cut follows the historic route. Between Lower Mill and the Lydney Canal, it broadly does so, although there were two parallel channels. Between Upper Mill and Middle Mill, the Victoria County History for Gloucestershire, Volume 5, says that the Forge Ponds swallowed up the route, and there is no indication of the course by 1880, although the valley is quite narrow, so options are limited.