Chris Jefferies

Canal walk 1 – Severn to Saul Junction

Severn trows were flat-bottomed, single masted sailing vessels, and the Stroudwater canal was wide and deep enough to take them.

< Previous | Index | Next >

This section of Stroudwater Navigation is not being restored, but it is certainly of historical interest and mostly remains visible on the ground. It’s still possible to walk almost all of the towpath and not too hard to imagine what it might have been like when it was in use.

The connection to the River Severn

The River Severn at Framilode (near high tide)

The physical point where the canal joined the Severn is not accessible as it’s on private land. However, it’s easy to get very close. The River Severn is still tidal at this point, and the canal engineers had to take this into account. Instead of a single lock gate providing access, there were several; this allowed boats to transfer between river and canal for longer periods as the tide ebbed and flowed.

To find this spot on the ground, visit the village of Upper Framilode and look for the point near Lock House where the road crosses the line of the canal, then click the tiny map on the right for a larger, draggable and scalable version. The pointer shows where the canal and river meet, the place where Severn trows and other boats would have entered the canal heading towards Stroud, or exited into the Severn to make their way north towards Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester, or south towards Bristol and the River Wye to Chepstow and Monmouth. If you have time, pop into St Peter’s church in the village and enjoy the simple stained glass and the beautifully painted ceiling. A peaceful place, used by the local community in many interesting ways.

Severn trows were flat-bottomed, single masted sailing vessels, and Stroudwater Navigation was wide and deep enough to take them, with locks sized accordingly.

You can also view a map of the canal from the 1840s to compare with the current map. This, too, is draggable and scalable. If you open two browser windows side-by-side with the modern map in one and the historical map in the other, it’s fascinating to see the many changes that have taken place.

To start the walk south from Upper Framilode, look for the footpath just left of the canal as seen from Canal Row. This is the old towpath and runs between the canal and the row of buildings that grew up along the first 100 m of the canal. Presumably most, if not all, of these buildings sold necessities to the passing canal traffic. I can imagine everything from ale to fresh well water and hens eggs and other garden produce being traded while boats loaded and unloaded or just waited for a lock to fill or empty.

Heading south

View back to Canal Row – from left are the canal, grassy towpath, and row of buildings

The first landmark you will come across is ‘The Ship’ inn. You’ll pass the pub and then its car park, both on the left. After passing it, looking back you’ll see its name painted on the building’s wall. It’s only 250 m or so from the start of the walk.

It’s not hard to imagine the trows travelling to and fro along this section of the canal. No doubt the pub was a popular stop.

The Ship Inn, looking back towards the start

As you can see, this first section of canal is still in water, and along the way you will have noticed the large stones edging the canal. Lock gates and other wooden structures have long since gone, of course, rotted away by the action of rain, fungi and bacteria. Like all human technology, canals must be maintained if they are to continue working. Although there’s still water at this point the canal is certain to be heavily sited up, and reeds, rushes and other water-tolerant and water-dependent plants have colonised very effectively.

Saul Bridge

The map marks the next point on the journey, the place where Moor Street crosses the canal over Saul Bridge. It’s the first bridge you come to and is not far beyond The Ship Inn. Originally this was a swing bridge, but the modern replacement is concrete and brick. Continue along the towpath beyond the bridge and you quickly come to the end of the section of canal remaining in water. The scene changes quite a bit from here on.

The River Frome comes alongside the tow path on the left at a point where the canal (still on the right) becomes dry; you can see this point on the map in the previous section. Don’t be confused! For a while you will see the Frome on the left of the tow path and the dry canal on the right. In places the canal has been filled in and that makes things even more difficult to visualise. Sometimes you can spot the left bank of the canal as a curved ridge, even when it runs through an open, grassy field. The towpath would probably have run along the flat top of this ridge.

River, footpath, and the bank of the canal

Just keep walking on the footpath and you’ll be OK. If you see signs for the Thames and Severn Way, Cotswold Canals Trust, or Saul Junction follow them; they will all guide you along this section of the canal. After the section of infilled canal, there’s a very overgrown part, and finally the footpath opens onto Saul Junction itself.

Here, the Stroudwater Navigation (opened in 1779) continues straight across the much larger Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, which opened in 1827, carries much larger vessels, and connects Gloucester Docks with Sharpness. At Sharpness, vessels can continue on the river to and beyond Bristol. Look across the ship canal where you will see Stroudwater Navigation continuing, not only full of water, but still in use. I’ll write about that next section in a future article.

Once the ship canal was open, it made a much better, non-tidal route to Gloucester or Bristol, and that’s why this section of the Stroudwater Navigation languished and fell out of use. The crews of trows coming and going to Stroud simply had no reason to enter the Severn from Saul Junction after 1827.

Useful? Interesting?

If you enjoyed this or found it useful, please like, comment, and share below. (If you don’t see those links, click the article’s title above the main photo and they will appear.) Send a link to friends who might enjoy the article or benefit from it – Thanks! My material is free to reuse (see conditions), but a coffee is always welcome and encourages me to write more often!

Another message from Yara

Sometimes the worst things are done when the perpetrators are most afraid; and right now I think Putin is very much afraid.

This is a message of despair from a brave Ukrainian lady who deserves so much better. All Ukrainians deserve so much better. Yet I know the despair will be temporary.

Yara has an irrepressible nature and despite the terrible circumstances I know she will regain a measure of hope and want to share Ukrainian culture and art with her readers again quite soon.

Please do read her message for today. Below I’ve copied a reply to it that I posted there a few minutes ago. I think there is growing cause for hope, and that’s what I wrote about and want to emphasise.

But before I share that reply: What can you do to help? Visit Yara’s site and take a good look around, read some of her other, more upbeat, messages. Consider becoming a supporting member, buy her a coffee, leave her a reply to one or more of her posts. Contact your government representative asking them to do more. In the UK write to your MP. Hint: Write again after our upcoming elections, you might find you have a different MP.

My reply

Wanting better for you, Yara. Wanting better for Kharkiv. Wanting better for every part of Ukraine.

Sometimes the worst things are done when the perpetrators are most afraid; and right now I think Putin is very much afraid.

Everything in Russia is beginning to fall apart – in fact, more than ‘beginning’. The evidence is everywhere.

There is a big shake up in the Russian Army, many senior officers are being arrested, perhaps because Putin fears a coup. Shaking things up does not make an army more effective. Just the opposite.
Inflation is ‘under control’ according to Putin. He is ignoring something like 8% inflation per month. How long can he pretend?
Crime rates are spiralling out of control.
Buildings are collapsing (not bombed, just badly built and lacking maintenance).
Roads and railways are broken, water supplies are broken, power supplies are broken, Ukraine is destroying oil refineries. Nothing is being repaired because so many skilled people either left Russia, or have been sent to die in Ukraine.
Nearly half the Black Sea Fleet is on holiday, resting peacefully on the sea bed.
Aircraft, air defence, airfields are being destroyed daily.
The war is going badly, very badly in fact.

What will happen next?

Putin’s time is probably short now, everything is going wrong for him.

Ukraine’s nightmare might end very suddenly, though nobody knows when. It could be in a year’s time, or just a month, or a week, or it might be tomorrow.

None of this affects how you feel right now, so you (like so many in Ukraine) will have to suffer longer. But feelings change day by day, One day, hope will grow like a tree in the springtime. Hope will blossom and flourish. But perhaps not today.

I know you, like all Ukrainians, will cling to hope until it’s no longer needed. Then you will all be able to sing, and dance, and have parties in the street, and then start on the huge task of rebuilding your shattered lives and towns and cities.

Slava Ukraini! Heroyam slava! 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦

Why on earth would I follow Jesus?

I began to see that whether Jesus was right or wrong in some of his claims, his character came through clearly and I liked what I saw.

Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic, Baptist – whoever you are, whatever you think, wherever you live, I hope you’ll read along for at least a sentence or two while I consider this question.

Is religion necessary? No, personally I think it’s a hindrance. If religion matters at all, it matters only because it always gets in the way of the truth. So attaching yourself to a religion, following religious teaching, calling yourself a Christian or a Muslim or a Buddhist does not, in itself, make you a better person; nor does a name make you acceptable in some way. It merely make you identifiable – part of an organisation.

I follow Jesus, or at least I do my best to follow him (some of the time). All too often I just follow my own inclinations moment by moment, and that sometimes leads to selfishness, hurting other people, and disappointment. If you follow Muhammad, or the Pope, or Buddha – well, good for you! Following a person is always better than following a religion or a philosophy. Do, though, be careful to follow somebody of good character, someone you can trust. The reason I follow Jesus is that he always deals with people wisely, gently, generously, truthfully, and lovingly. I’d like to become like that too. I have no wish to be foolish, harsh, mean, false or hateful – to anybody. I don’t claim to have succeeded in that goal, but it is a goal in my life.

When I first heard about Jesus I was a child. My parents talked about him, and when I went to school we learned more about him. Every school day began with prayers, a Bible reading, and singing a hymn. None of this seemed important at the time, it was just something that happened at school that you had to do – like learning to read and write, or learning multiplication tables and how to add and subtract numbers. It became a bit more formal as the years passed, but it didn’t mean very much as far as I could see. At 14 years old there were confirmation classes (part of learning to be a good Anglican), this too meant nothing to me, it was just something Mum and Dad expected so I sat through it, usually mystified or bored. And at university nothing like this was required any more.

Towards the end of my university course I began reading the Bible. I thought that people were making a mistake following this nonsense and I wanted to find out where they were going wrong. I was an atheist at this time in my life. But as I read I became quite interested by things that Jesus did and said. I began to see that whether Jesus was right or wrong in some of his claims, his character came through clearly and I liked what I saw. He was wise, gentle, generous, truthful and loving – all the things I wanted to be, but could often not manage. This is, of course, only a partial list, but you get the idea – there’s no need to draw up an exhaustive list of character attributes.

And as I read, I gradually realised that this Jesus was probably the best role model and example of living well that I’d ever come across. So I read more. And that is the answer to the question, ‘Why on earth would I follow Jesus?’ For me it’s simply about his character.

I don’t need to write more than that, though I will add that I had started on a journey that would take me a long, long way. But none of the things I’ve learned since have changed that original choice to follow. If anyone starts on that journey they will learn much more about Jesus along the way. When Jesus was walking along the shingle beach of Lake Galilee and spotted some fishermen casting nets into the water; he called to them, ‘Come and follow me and I’ll show you how to fish for people’. They were intrigued, dropped what they were doing, and walked along with him for a while. That is how it starts, the invitation is always there, follow along and he’ll teach you some surprising things about yourself, about who he is, about his character and purpose, and where he is going.

Maybe I’ll write some more later, in another article. But for now, if you do start this journey, are already on it, or don’t even care to begin, I’d just like to bless you and wish you well. Peace, joy, encouragement and hope in your life – in Jesus’ name. He wants those things for you too.

Useful? Interesting?

The work of the Spirit – 2

Not only are we together as a community of his people, we are also together in the community of the Almighty Creator.

< Previous | Index | Next >

This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). The bite-sized piece below is roughly two percent of the book.

Jesus at the centre

We have seen how important it is to keep Jesus right at the heart of everything we do. We have seen that we must follow Jesus alone and that there can be no room for following anyone or anything else.

Without the Holy Spirit we will find this impossible. We receive the Spirit from Jesus as a baptism (Matthew 3:11). In response to our love and obedience, Jesus sends us his Spirit (John 14:15-17). We are not free to defile our bodies because they are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 6:19) – and if this is true of our bodies, isn’t it also true of our hearts and minds? The essence of keeping Jesus at the centre is that we know Jesus is Lord of our lives and our thinking and our emotions, of all that we are and all that we do. Yet we can’t even say the words ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).

How has the Spirit helped keep you focused on Jesus? Try to find specific examples rather than generalisations.

Becoming disciples

This is a matter of following Jesus and becoming conformed to his image. Look at the fruit of the Spirit as set out by Paul in Galatians 5:22-26: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is how the Holy Spirit moulds us to become more Christlike. This is fruit, it grows in us day by day, year by year. And the degree to which we have become conformed is expressed in all we think and say and do.

Doesn’t this sound familiar? Isn’t this the very process of becoming disciples that we are looking for? If we are filled by the Spirit and respond to him we will bear the fruit of the Spirit in every way. We co-operate with the Holy Spirit when we develop a habit of joy or patience or gentleness. Right behaviour over and over again forms those habits of fruitfulness in us. There are two sides to this. We cannot do it in our own strength so we need and depend on the Spirit. But he will not coerce us, he expects to see our obedient willingness to allow him to change us.

Is there spiritual fruit in your life? How might you explain this to someone
who doesn’t yet know Jesus?

Outward and integrated

We need to reach those around us; Jesus commands it. He said, ‘I’ve been given all authority in heaven and on earth, so as you go, make disciples of all nations … and I’ll be with you.’ (Matthew 28:18-20) But as we go out into the world and seek to embed ourselves deep in the culture (as he did), we do not go alone.

Not only are we together as a community of his people, we are also together in the community of the Almighty Creator. The Son has made the way open and has sent the Spirit to fill us – Father, Son, Spirit, and us! It’s not going to heaven when we die; it’s far better than that. It’s living in their community right here, right now and forever. Jesus says he is with us right to the end (Matthew 28:20) and he says that if we have seen him we have seen the Father (John 14:9).

In our going out and going deep we remain in the Presence, for the Holy Spirit is in us and communicates with us and for us. We couldn’t be effective carriers of good news without him. There are some great examples in the New Testament; read Acts 8:26-39, Acts 10:9-21 and Acts 16:7-10.

As you go out and deep in the culture around you, how will you pay
attention to the presence of the Holy Spirit with you? Consider prayer,
listening, and the truth that the Spirit is alive within you and wanting to
communicate with you.

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

< Previous | Index | Next >

Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), pages 38 and 39. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

Useful? Interesting?

Blast from the past… 18

Donna’s Dad had a hot air balloon flight for two as a birthday present and this was the day he chose for the ascent, inviting me to join him.

< Previous | Index | Next >

Notes from bygone years – May all your Mays be amazing
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

May 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

We took Donna’s Mum, Isobel, for a weekend break at a Warners hotel; the one we visited is Holme Lacy, not far from Hereford. Donna thought Isobel would enjoy this place, and she was right. In the evening there were tribute bands singing songs that were popular in the 50s and 60s, so music that is still popular amongst the older generation these days. The outside areas are attractive too as you can see from the photo.

JHM: I wrote about the expansion of excavations at Pompeii. – World events: – The WHO downgraded COVID from being a global health emergency to just a pandemic; Charles III and Camilla were crowned at Westminster Abbey.

< Apr 2023 – June 2023 >

May 2022 (2 years before publishing)

I had a suspected cold but needed to be sure it wasn’t COVID as I was planning to be with a group of friends, but as you can see the result was negative.

I don’t think any of us wants to go through another pandemic! It was very disruptive in so many ways.

World events: The Eurovision Song Contest was won by Ukraine; and the Event Horizon Telescope revealed Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole.

< Apr 2022 – Jun 2022 >

May 2019 (5 years before)

Choosing a day with beautiful sunshine, we visited Hidcote Gardens and then Charlcote Park (pictured). The ingenuity, design and construction that went into gardens and houses like these is astounding. But they depended on the work of large numbers of people much less fortunate than the people who lived in them.

World events: An inter-governmental report found more than a million species were at risk of extinction; and Theresa May announced her resignation as Conservative leader.

< Apr 2019 – Jun 2019 >

May 2014 (10 years)

New Frontiers were holding their annual gathering at the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh and I felt I should take my friends Kev and John to one of the sessions. They’d shown real interest in Jesus and we’d been reading through parts of the Bible in a local coffee shop in St Neots. The photo shows them listening to news about church planting in Pakistan.

JHM: I posted about something unexpected that happened at Stoneleigh. – World events: The ‘Luhansk People’s Republic‘ declared independence from Ukraine; and Narendra Modi became the 14th prime minister of India.

< Apr 2014 – Jun 2014 >

May 2009 (15 years)

River Church in St Neots had a day out at Grafham Water on 25th May. Here’s Jim’s giant Jenga being put to good use. Everyone had a great time, but Jim’s Jenga tower is nowhere near the largest. Try this one for size!

JHM: I wrote about the internet; and about a meeting where freedom was the main thing. – World events: The Hubble Space Telescope was serviced by Atlantis; and the Sri Lankan Civil War ended afer 25 years of fighting.

< Apr 2009 – Jun 2009 >

May 2004 (20 years)

Ken and Gayna are good friends of ours. Ken and Donna were both working and I was working a four day week at that time, so Gayna and I visited Ely Cathedral which she’d never seen before. The photo shows the lantern, an astonishing design and structure for medieval times.

JHM: One of our meetings focused on love and kindness. – World events: The European Union expanded, adding ten further states; and the First Battle of Fallujah ended.

< Apr 2004 – Jun 2004 >

May 1999 (25 years)

On 1st May we visited Donna’s parents. Her Dad had a hot air balloon flight for two as a birthday present and this was the day he chose for the ascent, inviting me to join him. In the photo, I’m on the left and Tony’s on the right. It was an amazing experience!

World events: A tornado in Oklahoma involved record-breaking winds of over 300 mph; at the Hague, Slobodan Milošević and four others were indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

< Apr 1999 – Jun 1999 >

May 1994 (30 years)

I replied to a mailing list message about SUPER.EXE, an MS-DOS utility for getting temporary admin rights on a Novell Netware server. It saved logging out and in again (twice) or, even worse, going to the locked server room to perform the same task from there.

World events: F1 world champion, Ayrton Senna died in a crash; the Channel Tunnel opened between England and France; and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president.

< Apr 1994 – Jun 1994 >

May 1989 (35 years)

We visited Cirencester and my Mum and Dad took us to North Meadow at Cricklade to look at the snake’s head fritillaries growing wild there. After that we drove up the Stow Road to see orchids and pasqueflowers. It was quite the botanical field trip!

World events: The Soviet Union issued its first Visa card; Hungary dismantled barbed wire fencing along its border with Austria; and the last golden toad (now extinct) was seen in Costa Rica.

< Apr 1989 – Jun 1989 >

May 1984 (40 years)

My daughter Beth loved hamsters, so when she was six I wrote a Sinclair Spectrum text adventure for her, starring a hamster. If you use a Spectrum emulator you can still load and run this game. I suggest the Fuse emulator (free). Once installed, here’s the Hamster! download.

World events: The Severomorsk Disaster was an enormous explosion at the Soviet Severomorsk Naval Base; and a gas explosion in Lancashire killed 16 people.

< Apr 1984 – Jun 1984 >

May 1979 (45 years)

We travelled to a Post Green meeting at Lytchett Minster near Poole with our friends Paul and Jenny as we had no car at this time. Tony and Faith also drove down. This was an eye-opening experience for all six of us, we learned so much about community, making music, and the gifts of the Spirit. We camped in a borrowed tent and our one-year-old, Beth, slept in a cardboard box. Beth’s first birthday came in May as well, Debbie was already four, our family was growing up!

World events: Margaret Thatcher became the UK’s first woman prime minister; and Greenland was granted limited autonomy from Denmark.

< Apr 1979 – Jun 1979 >

May 1974 (50 years)

I was still doing a little work on willow growth rates for Ken Stott, the Willows officer at LARS, but Ken had been providing help to the Pomology Group and I was working more and more on that. I’d had a promotion to Higher Scientific Officer (HSO) and was eager to spend more time on microscopy and pollination.

World events: The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) exploded four car bombs in counties Dublin and Monaghan, killing 33 and injuring 300; and India successfully detonated its first nuclear weapon.

< Apr 1974 – Jun 1974 >

May 1969 (55 years)

As Bath University Horticulture students, we visited commercial sites from time to time see horticulture in action and ask questions of the managers and staff. The photo shows one of these visits in May 1969. Peter Thoday, one of our lecturers at the time and later a TV personality, is at the back on the right.

World events: An American teenager died of a baffling medical condition, later identified as HIV/AIDS; Apollo 10‘s lunar module flew two astronauts to within 16 km of the Moon‘s surface.

< Apr 1969 – Jun 1969>

May 1964 (60 years)

Here’s my sister, Ruth, busy with coloured chalks and a little slate. The floor covering is linoleum, bought by my grandparents for the house, now relegated to the garden. In the background is my old scooter from the mid 1950s. Ruth is on the loggia, a covered area in the garden with three open sides.

World events: The first BASIC computer program was run; and large student protests against the Vietnam War began in US cities.

< Apr 1964 – Jun 1964>

May 1959 (65 years)

May probably brought school half-term, Spring Bank Holiday was 18th, the Eleven Plus exams loomed, and probably came in June; it was strange to realise that at the end of term, my days at Junior School would be over! Uncertainty lay ahead but I don’t remember feeling anxious, nor indeed excited.

World events: North Vietnam implemented plans to invade South Vietnam; and a Jupiter AM-18 rocket launched two monkeys into space from Cape Canaveral, returning them safely to Earth.

< Apr 1959 – Jun 1959>

May 1954 (70 years)

I had a letter from my older cousin, Jill. At this time she was staying in a hostel in Deptford, London. She had watched the Royal Yacht Britannia returning home with the Queen and Prince Philip on board. The ship was brand new at the time and she wanted to describe the event for me. Click the image to read an extract.

World events: Roger Bannister ran a mile in less than four minutes; and Diane Leather became the first woman to run a mile in less than five minutes.

< Apr 1954 – Jun 1954>

May 1949 (75 years)

Approaching ten months old, I might have started imitating sounds. I’d have been fairly mobile and no doubt making a nuisance of myself by crawling. Perhaps I had a favourite toy by this time too. We were still living with my grandparents, though Mum and Dad were hoping to move to a home of their own soon.

World events: Britain’s EDSAC, the first practicable stored-program computer, ran its first program; and the Federal Republic of Germany was established.

< Apr 1949 – Jun 1949>

May 1944 (80 years)

In May, Dad had several firsts during basic training for the RAF. He threw a live hand grenade, went through a gas chamber and removed his mask inside, fired a Sten gun, and suffered a carbuncle on his neck that required a stay in Sick Quarters. On 25th May Dad was moved, with 12 others, to an RAF station at Wilmslow in Cheshire.

World events: In the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol, Soviet troops finally drove out all German forces; and on 15th Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton, Bernard Montgomery and other leaders met for the final D-Day joint briefing.

< Apr 1944 – Jun 1944>

< Previous | Index | Next >

Useful? Interesting?

The work of the Spirit – 1

This new life we live is not just about what we do, nor is it entirely about receiving from the Spirit. Jesus wants our co-operation.

< Previous | Index | Next >

This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). I also mention The Forgotten Ways, a book by Alan Hirsch. The bite-sized piece below is roughly two percent of the book.

Introduction

The work of the Holy Spirit is mentioned briefly in the previous part of JDMC, ‘Six – More than community’ (p 33). It is not explicitly presented in The Forgotten Ways, but it is certainly implied on every page. In the first edition of JDMC I closely followed the structure of Alan Hirsch’s work, but in this revision I have decided to add extra sections including this one about the Spirit.

I want to guard against any suggestion that JDMC is merely presenting an organisational mechanism for rapid missional spread. It’s much more than a worldly method or a management technique. Instead it is the pattern set by Christ himself, and therefore the Spirit of Christ is present throughout and waiting for us to hear his guidance and encouragement as we do the work the Master has entrusted to us. To depend on human technique alone won’t cut the mustard – far from it! One of the forgotten ways is keeping Jesus central, following only him, adding nothing in addition. This utter dependence on Christ surely implies and demands a dependence on his Spirit – how could it possibly be otherwise?

We need to recognise that this new life we live is not just about what we do, nor is it entirely about receiving from the Spirit. Jesus wants our co-operation. If there was no need for the work of the Spirit, why would Paul warn us not to quench him? (1 Thessalonians 5:19) And if there was no need for human effort or will, why would he tell us to strive? (1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Timothy 4:10)

So in this additional part of JDMC I want to highlight some of the ways we can recognise and value the Holy Spirit’s activity as we attempt to remember and activate the six forgotten ways. I also offer some advice on spiritual listening at the end.

To be clear, this section should not be seen as an additional ‘forgotten way’. It isn’t that at all. But the work of the Holy Spirit surely runs deep in each of those six forgotten ways. He is, as already mentioned, the Spirit of Christ and he was sent specifically to enable us to continue the work of Jesus. If we are the body and Jesus is our head, then the Spirit is like a nervous system – fundamentally centred in the head but with sensory and motor connections to every part of the body. When we resist him and are disobedient, part of the body is effectively paralysed. And if the body acts without the Holy Spirit it is sleepwalking and
ineffective.

If all of this sounds hard – it is. We have to learn to die so that we can begin to live in Christ. It’s not that we have to work hard to be more like Jesus; rather we have to let go of all our own goals and desires and effort and planning and let Jesus live his life in us. He will tell us and show us what to do, when to do it, and how. The Holy Spirit is no less than the Spirit of Christ, he is our guide and walks with us in every situation. He is the heart and mind of the Messiah expressing himself through his people.

Discuss or consider -Talk together about the ways the Holy Spirit has interacted with you in your lives as you follow Jesus. Are there some encouraging stories you can share?

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

< Previous | Index | Next >

Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), page 37. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

Useful? Interesting?

Opening the Sapperton tunnel

Barges were able to move goods of all kinds between London and the River Severn via Oxford, Cirencester and Stroud

The parapet at the NW tunnel portal
(Click image to enlarge)

The Thames & Severn Canal tunnel was opened in April 1789. The work was a major engineering achievement at the time.

There had been serious difficulty with the contractor originally chosen to do the work. But now it was complete, and barges were able to move goods of all kinds between London and the River Severn via Oxford, Cirencester and Stroud.

Here’s a short extract from the Gloucester Journal from 4th May 1789.

By a letter from Cirencester, dated the 19th ult., we learn that a great undertaking of conveying a tunnel sixteen feet high and sixteen feet wide, under Sapperton-hill and Hayley-wood (very high ground) for two miles and a quarter in length, through a very hard rock, lined and arched with brick, is entirely completed, and boats were to pass through it on the 21st ult.

By this opening communication is made between the river Severn, at Framiload, and the Thames near Lechlade, and will be continued over the Thames below St. John’s Bridge, and so to Oxford, etc., and London, for conveyance of coals, goods, etc.

It is now navigable from the Severn to Themsford by way of Stroud, Cirencester, Cricklade, being filled with water for the purpose near forty miles.

At the time of its execution the tunnel was considered a great undertaking; old King George III visited and expressed himself astonished with it, and that part of the canal at the east end of the tunnel is called “The King’s Reach,” probably in consequence of the visit.

The opening of the canal did not take place until the month of December, 1789, and the Journal of Monday, the 30th of that month, gives the following description of the event: —” On Thursday last was effected the greatest object of internal navigation in this kingdom. The Severn was united with the Thames by intermediate canal, ascending by Stroud, through the Vale of Chalford, to the height of 343 feet, by locks there entering a tunnel through the hill of Sapperton, for the length two miles and three furlongs, and descending 22 [sic 16] locks, it joined the Thames near Lechlade.

(Read the entire article from Cotswold Canals in Pictures)

From the web:

Restoring Lechlade to Saul Junction – Cotswold Canals Trust
Sapperton Canal Tunnel – Wikipedia
The Thames & Severn Canal – Inland Waterways Association

Useful? Interesting?

War, survival, victory

Nobody asks your permission or opinion, and suddenly people and places you love are injured and damaged by bombs and missiles.

Today I want to bring you news from Ukraine. I’m going to do this by giving you a glimpse through the eyes of Yaroslava Antipina who lives in Kyiv; if you want to know about a topic, the best sources always include local people.

The image above shows one of Yara’s pages on the web, here (and elsewhere) she writes regularly to inform her readers about the war, but also about Ukraine and Ukrainians. She shows us the architecture, the places she visits, the art galleries and museums and cathedrals and much, much more. Like all Ukrainians, and like my parent’s generation in the UK, Yara knows what it’s like to be thrust unwillingly into armed conflict. Nobody asks your permission or opinion, and suddenly people and places you love are injured and damaged by bombs and missiles.

But that’s enough from me today. I’m simply going to re-post Yara’s latest Sunday message to her followers. I recommend and urge you to read more of her material, you can find her in various places.

–oOo–

Hi!

I am writing to you from sunny Kyiv. The weather is mild and gentle, and on such days, it is hard to believe that the war is walking heavily somewhere on our land.

The situation in Kyiv is not so bad compared to frontline or near frontline territories. If you come here, you will see a city that tries hard to live. And you even feel this tension, this strong desire to show everyone, especially the enemy, that we are alive and our spirit is strong.

I have just got this thought…

Do you also feel that my letters are like conversations between two people? I hope so.

Okay, in this letter, you will see photos of Ukrainian artists from the so-called Samarkand era. Samarkand is a city in Uzbekistan. From 1941 to 1944, this city became a home for many Ukrainian artists. I will briefly tell you about this era a bit later in the letter. And the photos are from the exhibition I visited this week.

Petro Sulymenko (1914-1996), Sher-Dor, 1942

Some explanation: Sher-Dor Madrasa is a 17th-century madrasa (Islamic school) in the historical centre of Samarkand.

Let’s talk about the war. I rarely tell you about the situation on the frontline. It is a topic better explained by war experts or military personnel. But this week, I heard and read a lot about it, especially Chasiv Yar, so I decided to figure out why Chasiv Yar is so important for the russians.

So, Chasiv Yar is a city in Donetsk Oblast. About 13,000 people lived here, but as of early April, about 700 remained. It is the highest point for hundreds of kilometres around. The city stands on hills that protect it from the east and south like defensive walls.

Chasiv Yar is the ‘gateway’’ to the cities of Kostiantynivka (7 km to the west) and Kramatorsk (25 km to the northwest). If the russian forces manage to capture Chasiv Yar, they will have the opportunity to launch an offensive on them and other settlements of Donetsk Oblast, which still are controlled by Ukraine. You can read a short review in Politico or a detailed explanation of the importance of Chasiv Yar in The New York Times.

Oleksandr Syrotenko (1897-1975), Evening. Samarkand, 1943

I want to add a few lines about the situation in Chasiv Yar now. Of the 700 people still living in the city, 80-85% are older people who refused to evacuate. Their main argument is that this is their home, and they want to stay here till the end.

Since February 2023, Chasiv Yar has had no gas and water supply, electricity, and poor mobile phone connection. Those who have stayed here rely on generators and water from wells to keep themselves alive.

All high-rise buildings in Chasiv Yar have been damaged by shelling; 80% of the damages are critical.

–oOo–

There are four more images of beautiful paintings and more informative text, but I want to encourage you to see those on Yara’s site… Thank you!

A canal walk through Chalford

The wooded valley rises sharply on either side, the River Frome runs along the valley bottom, and stone cottages cling to the slopes on either side.

< Previous | Index | Next >

I set out for a walk along the canal, not intending anything more than a quick explore. I began near Chalford and thought of walking in the Stroud direction, but on the spur of the moment I decided to follow the canal through Chalford village instead as I hadn’t gone that way before.

This is a typical view of the canal in this section

A gentle stroll turns into a major plan

I was enjoying my walk and soon decided to extend it as far as the mouth of the canal tunnel at Daneway Inn. While driving home afterwards I had the idea of walking the entire route in small chunks. So I now have a plan for the old Thames and Severn canal; I’ve done several sections previously, but this time I hope to repeat the walks, covering as much as possible in short sections, and writing up each walk for Journeys of Heart and Mind (JHM).

Part of the canal runs through a tunnel with several sections blocked by collapses, some other sections run through private property and can’t be accessed. Others have been filled in, turned into roads, or are otherwise not walkable. But where the canal has been restored, the towpaths are in great condition. Elsewhere, towpaths are usually passable, especially in dry weather, and they are usually open for use even when the canal itself remains derelict.

Making a start

I was able to park the car right by the tow path (Map), just off London Road west of Chalford (very near Belvedere Mews). Don’t assume you’ll be able to do the same; you might, but there’s only room for half a dozen cars here.

The canal is quite derelict in this section, there’s water in it at many points, but not everywhere. The stonework and brickwork of the locks is severely damaged, and more recent structures such as pipes and small bridges cross the canal and will need to be rerouted or rebuilt. In places the canal has been filled in and one section has been used as a diversion and is now part of the River Frome. The eastern part of today’s route will be very expensive to restore; there are, for example, sixteen locks to rebuild, and not just a simple refurbishment of the masonry and new, timber, lock gates. For the most part it will be a combination of restoration and refacing where possible, but full reconstruction from scratch in many places where the damage is particularly severe.

It’s hard to grasp how destructive the natural world is to our built environment. The canal was dug 235 years ago (completed in 1789) and during its period of use must have been well maintained and repaired whenever necessary. The last narrow boat traffic passed this way about 100 years ago. It was already in bad shape by then, but natural decay, leaks and the growth of trees has resulted in the dereliction we see today.

Section by section

Leaving the car, and carrying my rucksack with a water bottle, I headed east along the tow path. I didn’t take a map, but the path is well marked. I subscribe to the OS maps on my phone (good enough for walks like this) and next time I plan to use the OS 6-inch map for 1892 to 1914 to better understand the canal’s surroundings while it was still in use.

(Hint: Click any image to enlarge it.)

The section through Chalford village is very pretty, on the information boards it’s likened to a Swiss valley. That’s a fair comparison, I think. The wooded valley rises sharply on either side, the River Frome (or Stroudwater) runs along the valley bottom, and stone cottages cling to the slopes on either side. If you could only visit one place along the canal, Chalford would be an excellent choice.

Beyond the eastern end of Chalford, the tow path passes a lake on the left; originally this was a mill pond, supplying water to turn the wheel at Baker’s Mill. When the canal was constructed, water supply was a frequent problem and the mill pond was extended by the canal engineers to keep this section of the canal full enough even when the locks were operating frequently due to higher traffic levels. The lake is partly silted up now, especially close to the mill, and it has become a wildlife reserve. Passing this point I spotted a swan’s nest in use and a group of mallards nearby.

Some sections of the canal are badly silted and are full of plants like this glorious marsh marigold close to Siccaridge Wood. The nature reserve is well worth a visit if you have time. The site stretches up the hill from the canal and faces south, so it’s a warm spot when the sun shines and likely avoids early frosts in autumn and late ones in the spring. Further on again, a small footbridge crosses the canal and the tow path continues on the north bank until it reaches Daneway Lane.

I stopped at the Daneway Inn for a lovely Coronation Chicken sandwich with a simple salad and some crisps along with a welcome cup of coffee. I have to report that service was prompt and I felt welcomed. The canal continues a little further and the path resumes from the corner of the Inn car park. The tunnel portal (Map) looks mysterious and, frankly, uninviting. It would have been an adventure to travel through the tunnel in a narrow boat; one day it may be possible again!

Useful? Interesting?

Resources for Cirencester history

The museum hosts meetings with visiting speakers on a wide range of topics and runs town walks focusing on specific time periods.

If you are even slightly interested in the history (and prehistory) of Cirencester, here are some resources you might like to know about. Some are really obvious, others a bit more obscure, but they are all useful. There will be more that I’m not aware of.

Cirencester, Ordnance Survey, mid to late 19th century (National Library of Scotland)

Cirencester Civic Society

The Civic Society has erected blue and purple plaques around the town. The blue plaques provide details of well-known people and events. The purple plaques mark places of significance in Roman times, the city gates for example. The website offers a map of the plaque positions and a walking route to view them all.

Cirencester Town Council

The town council has a short article about the town’s history, a good introduction.

Corinium Museum

The most obvious and outstanding of these resources is, of course, the Corinium Museum. In its original form, on Tetbury Road, it was mostly a collection of Roman artefacts. But today, in its current home on Park Street, it covers an enormous time span, from prehistoric times, practically up to the present day. This museum punches way above its weight for a town the size of Cirencester.

The museum hosts meetings with visiting speakers on a wide range of topics and runs town walks focusing on specific time periods. There’s plenty to see and do, and if this was the only resource in existence you could still learn a great deal about Cirencester’s past.

Facebook groups

If you use Facebook, there are at least three groups on the history of the town that may be of interest: Cirencester past, Cirencester Now & Then, and Old Ciren.

Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

Holds a large collection of relevant documents. Viewing them will involve making an appointment and a trip to Gloucester where they are held in the Gloucestershire Archives by the county council.

Institute of Historical Research

The institute’s material on Cirencester includes drafts of publications covering several periods of the town’s history. These drafts go into considerable detail and are written by qualified experts. They’re well worth a read, you certainly wouldn’t be wasting your time if you want more background on the town.

National Library of Scotland

Despite the name, this organisation holds many historical maps covering the whole of the UK. The website provides very useful access to the maps, you may find this search for material on Cirencester helpful. The map at the top of this article shows details even inside the Parish Church, and buildings in the West Market Place that were demolished many years ago.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia has short articles on Cirencester and Corinium. Both form good introductions to the history of the town and provide useful references.

And finally…

Leave a comment with details of anything you think I should add, I’ll check out suggestions and update this article accordingly. Thanks!

I’ll just mention in passing that I’ve been posting monthly notes on my own, personal history. My friends and family enjoy reading it, but it’s not private. If you feel inclined, take a look at the index. Cirencester gets a mention here and there as I lived in the town as a child and came back in retirement.

The connection to the River Severn

Heading south

Saul Bridge

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

My reply

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

Jesus at the centre

Becoming disciples

Outward and integrated

More sections of JDMC

Read the book

Useful? Interesting?

May 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

May 2022 (2 years before publishing)

May 2019 (5 years before)

May 2014 (10 years)

May 2009 (15 years)

May 2004 (20 years)

May 1999 (25 years)

May 1994 (30 years)

May 1989 (35 years)

May 1984 (40 years)

May 1979 (45 years)

May 1974 (50 years)

May 1969 (55 years)

May 1964 (60 years)

May 1959 (65 years)

May 1954 (70 years)

May 1949 (75 years)

May 1944 (80 years)

Useful? Interesting?

Introduction

More sections of JDMC

Read the book

Useful? Interesting?

See also:

From the web:

Useful? Interesting?

A gentle stroll turns into a major plan

Making a start

Section by section

See also:

Useful? Interesting?

Cirencester Civic Society

Cirencester Town Council

Corinium Museum

Facebook groups

Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

Institute of Historical Research

National Library of Scotland

Wikipedia

And finally…

Useful? Interesting?