Maritime nostalgia infuses the regeneration of Britain’s most inland port Gloucester, established by Queen Elizaeth I in 1580. Vibrant, accessible, diverse maritime heritage go-to destination. A voyage of discovery, nautical history spliced with practical modernity with bustling waterways, working dry docks and repair yard, storyboards that describe how the port of Gloucester has its distinctive feel.

A captivating experience that explores the historic port of Gloucester, the legendary tall ships, where Seas meet the City. Take the helm and navigate the maritime trail as you learn about the port of Gloucester’s unique and fascinating past, present and future

Gloucester was given the formal status of a Port by letters of patent from Queen Elizabeth I in 1580.  From that time, the coastline of the Severn estuary, northeast area of the shoreline of Aust came under the jurisdiction of a Custom House at Gloucester.  Built in the 1790s, the Main Basin became the main terminus of a ship canal.  The opening of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal in 1827 allowed even the largest of sailing ships to bypass the difficult stretch of river, and so considerable trade developed with the port of Gloucester and foreign ports.

Here cargoes of corn and timber brought from all over the world were unloaded, either into warehouses or into smaller vessels to be taken further up the River Severn to Birmingham and the Black Country

Small coasters and barge traffic continued to busy Gloucester Docks until the 1970s/80s.  In more recent years, the waterways have seen an increase in pleasure craft and 2009 saw the return of the legendary tall ships with the bi-annual Tall Ships Festival.  The  regeneration  of Gloucester Docks has made this a popular leisure and residential area that celebrates the charm of the city’s maritime culture with urban growth.

The historic port of Gloucester has been transformed into a vibrant cultural maritime quarter, with museums, restaurants, residences and shops, heritage boats, locks and bridges, dry docks and shipyard.

In 2027, the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal celebrates its bi-centenary, a year-long programme of maritime events, volunteer led.   Working across wider communities within Gloucester as far as the Bristol Channel and the Irish Coast to create a legacy to encourage more ships to use the port as it was intended with the preservation of the dry docks and shipyard as a national asset for the restoration and repair of tall ships.

- Working vessels – Dunkirk Little Ship, Queen Boadicea II, passenger vessel with a steel hull

-Static vessels – LV14 SULA Lightship built in 1958 registered on National Historic Register No 2447, the UKs only stay-aboard Lightvessel; RIBCHIC PIRANHA, built in 1911 historic Stourport Steamer turned café/bistro, registered on the National Historic Ships Register No 345.  Historic barge Sabrina 5, built in 1944, unpowered barge built for the Ministry of War Transport part of National Historic Fleet Registration No 623 museum display.

- Heritage boatyards and specialists – T. Nielsen & Co, specialists in repairing, restoring and building traditional ships and rigging.   Hempsted Historic Dry Dock, the largest indoor all-weather facility on the canal network

- Canal/lock – Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, the sixteen mile stretches from Gloucester Lock Lift Bridge to, Llanthony Lift Bridge, High Orchard Bridge Bascule Bridge, Hempsted Swing Bridge, Netheridge Swing Bridge, Sims Swing Bridge, Rea Swing Bridge, Sellars Swing Bridge, Park End Swing Bridge, Junction Swing Bridge, Sandfield Swing Bridge, Fretherne Swing Bridge, Splatt Swing Bridge, Cambridge Arms Swing Bridge, Patch Swing Bridge, Purton Upper Swing Bridge, Purton Lower Swing Bridge (home of Purton Hulks), Sharpness High Bridge, Sharpness Low Bridge and the Victoria Basin Swing Bridge

 - Historic buildings – North Warehouse, Alexandra Warehouse, Mariner’s Chapel, Customs House Building, Biddle & Shipton Warehouse, Lock Warehouse, Graving Dockyard, Double Reynolds Warehouse, St Luke’s House, Llanthony Warehouse, Britannia Warehouse, Albert Warehouse, Pillar & Lucy Warehouse, Provender Mill, Vinings Warehouse, Herbert, Kimberley & Philpotts Warehouse, Weighbridge House, Downings Malthouse, Bakers Quay, Transit Shed, Field Engine House

 - River/coastal environment & walks – Alney Island Nature Reserve, located on the banks of the River Severn; Annual Dragon Boat Races, Stand-Up Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, Retro on the Water Festival, Bi-Annual Tall Ships Festival, Sea Shanty Festival in the Main Basin, Daily Walking Tours by Canal & River Trust and Gloucester Civic Trust, Sixteen miles of public towpaths to Saul Junction and Sharpness from Gloucester Docks

 - Museum/visitor centre – award winning National Waterways Museum Gloucester housed in Llanthony Warehouse charting the fascinating 200 -year history of the docks and Gloucester & Sharpness Canal; Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, Field Engine House

 - Archives/library – Gloucestershire Archive, part of the Heritage Hub in Gloucester; Museum of Gloucester

- Other – visiting historic Tall Ships in the Shipyard – currently Kathleen & May - in for maintenance in the shipyard, the last remaining British built wooden hull three masted top sail schooner, listed as part of the National Historic Fleet No 146 - open to the public from time to time.