Restoring and conserving the River Stour Navigation

The Centre is a new, purpose-built premises offering a large, main hall, with kitchen, toilet and shower facilities on the ground floor, and on the first floor, the ‘John Marriage Room’ houses Trust archives and records and provides resources for young people preparing school projects, as well as student and adult researchers. A large balcony, under an extended roof, affords views of Cornard Lock through a small copse of trees. A picnic and barbecue area has been created nearby, and there is access to landing stages, both upstream and downstream of the lock and in the mill race.

The Millennium Commission originally part-funded the building of Cornard Lock in 1997 and in 2005 offered an enhancement grant of £84,171 to create the new Visitor Centre. The balance of the funding for the £200,000 project has been raised by the Trust from its own resources, donations and loans. The building is a significant new venture, which will enable the River Stour Trust to provide a study centre for schools, a community facility for the area, a base for Scouts, Guides and canoe groups, a destination for walkers, cyclists and boaters, as well as giving a focus for opening up the riverside between Sudbury, Cornard and Great Henny, for public use and enjoyment. The Trust wishes to develop opportunities for promoting the River Stour Navigation (dating from 1705), its importance in Britain’s industrial and cultural heritage, and the Trust’s own role in promoting use of this historic waterway.

It will be a natural destination for those walking from Sudbury, or indeed coming by boat, and a starting point for those wishing to walk through to Sudbury Common Lands, of for people just wishing to be beside the river, and we can expect that it will be used both for community and private events; it is hoped that refreshments will be available at the Centre on Sundays.