A Victorian Railway Maxim Zealously try to excel. Industry is commendable. Perseverance deserves success. Quietude of mind is a treasure.’ This was a GWR 19th century maxim for its workforce: A world of gaslight, back to backs, the workhouse; The engin...

Blackbeard the Pirate and Stonehouse? (Edward Thache aka Blackbeard) When you next visit Stonehouse on the train, Take a walk down to beautiful St Cyr’s Church: Take a seat there by the Stroudwater Canal, And ponder on these intriguing questions: Could...

19th Century Railway Investment You can see the deceptive bounty Derived from West Indies plantations In classical, elegant Clifton, And the Regency spa splendour In the streets of Bath and Cheltenham: The honey-stone Age of Enlightenment, Sweet reason...

Miles and Furlongs and Chains and Links and Springs Have you ever looked at the distance posts along the railway line from your carriage window or ever studied the measurements painted on a railway bridge? We all know what a mile is – but a chain?  The...

Navvies and Legerdemain: Who Built the Railways? Two thousand miles of bucket-lift airshafts, A million men in diseased shanty towns, Or lost on the tramp in city or county, No Navvy’s Head or Arms in the country, A damp clay embankment instead for a b...

Walking into the Past On a winter’s day with friends; The Heavens, where Bisley sat In the cleavage of the hills. Sunlight and clean bright water Pooled together to concentrate life, To bring people, sheep, grass and stone; Final gifting, leats, to com...

Child Labour in the Woollen Mills of the 1830s – November 9 5km one -way along the canal From Ebley Mill to Brimscombe Mill. Meet at Ebley Mill at 11am. Refreshments are available from The Long Table (fingers crossed), The Ship Inn or The Felt Cafe. Re...

  STUART BUTLER Poet, Performer, Writer, Walker, Teacher & Historian Email: LightpillNumber8@hotmail.com www.radicalstroud.co.uk BOB FRY Rural and urban flâneur. Psychogeographer & photographer. JON SEAGRAVE AKA JONNY FLUFFYPUNK Lo-fi perf...

Stroud District Palestine Solidarity Campaign Walk the Wall Saturday 20th July 2024 10am 5.2km walk from Wallbridge, over Rodborough Common ending at Brimscombe Return is either by Bus 67 from Brimscombe Corner or return to Wallbridge along the canal. ...

https://www.stroudvalleysproject.org/events/a-ramble-in-radical-randwick A Ramble in Radical Randwick Sunday, 23 June 2024 11:00 – 13:30 What makes the history of Randwick unique? How come this unassuming village in the hills of Stroud appears in...

Remember the moral economy? Back in the 18th century when Citizens would register anger At unjust wages and unfair prices With protests, demonstrations, gatherings, Rioting, strikes, and beating pots and pans In a cacophony of rough music, With carniva...

Toll Houses and Turnpike Gates There’s no rhyme or reason in my turnpike, Toll house and mile post investigations, I just walk or ride out on a whim, But recording rather than re-imagining the past, Just like a true old school antiquarian – Armed...

  Charles Dickens Walk Radical Stroud will be starting their Charles Dickens series of walks on Tuesday March 19th. We shall board the 8.31 iron horse and return on the 18.34 train to Stroud. Those who wish to meet us at Paddington, if travelling ...

Tuesday February 20th Radical Stroud intend to contribute to the Festival of Terminalia with a visit to Bath and John Thelwall’s gravestone. We shall then recreate the events of Citizen John’s last lecture and his death as we slip down wormholes of tim...

Some of us at Radical Stroud are giving whole hearted support to the Blue Lantern Homeless Project (led by Steve Gower of the Black Dog documentary film about homelessness). The project aims to develop sustainable temporary living accommodation for the...

Wander the world with us on September 29, and see things differently.

On May 25 and 26, together with walk · listen · create and PLACCC, we're hosting an urban exploration workshop in Budapest. The workshop will focus on the part of the suburb of Erzsébetváros called 'Csikágó', Chicago.

It was a lot of fun to spend time in Canberra last weekend …

From the start until the end of September, every 12 hours, you will be presented with a prompt which will nudge you to explore the public space around you.

A Ghost Pub Pilgrimage through Stroud and the Five Valleys Raising funds for the Trussell Trust in September Walk and/or bicycle your way through this list of pubs. Tick them off. Keep a diary or a record if you wish. Take photos for the archive. ...