Drone Scene

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Gloucester Docks, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal added to Rivers and Canals in South West by clinkadink on 21/11/2022

Parking: 51.864407, -2.251596
TOAL: 51.864046, -2.252143

Be aware that Gloucester Prison is 150m to the north. The North Warehouse separates the prison and docks. The photo was taken pointing south-south-west.

Gloucester Docks form the most inland port in the country. Elizabeth I granted Gloucester the status of customs port in 1580. The first customs house was at the Old Quay which stretches north from the lock at the North Quay. The house still stands and still wears the royal coat of arms.

Tolls were collect for many years before 1580. The ‘Old Quay’ was in its day a new quay! The river Severn split into three sections at Gloucester and re-joined further up river. The split in the river was the reason why the Romans built a fort here – it was the most southerly crossing point into Wales.

The most easterly arm of the river came much closer to the city lapping St Mary de Crypt – actually it was the other way around; the church was sited close to what was the river. This was the site of the Roman Quay. The bridge that crossed the river here (Westgate St) was ‘Foreign Bridge’, at the end of Westgate was ‘Westgate Bridge’ crossing the middle arm. The western arm was crossed at ‘Over Bridge’

The eastern arm silted up in the C14th hence the need for a second Quay. River traffic increased in the C18th. The development of the Main Basin and ship canal saw the decline of the second quay after which it became known as the Old Quay.

In 1793 Parliament gave the go ahead to build a ship canal to negate the difficult to negotiate tidal section of the river.

By 1797 the Main Basin had been dug, the canal took another twenty years the last years being influenced by Thomas Telford.

The hole – 16’ deep was dug by hand.

The Barge Arm, an extension of the basin was added (1824) before the canal was linked up (1827), to allow smaller barges to keep out of the way of ships.

In 1849 the Victoria Basin was opened as the port became busier. Warehouses continued to be built until the 1870’s.

Corn from Ireland and Europe, sugar from the Caribbean, timber from Scandinavia were main imports, salt from Worcestershire exported.

Imagine 30 tall ships, barges and other small craft manoeuvring around the docks. Warehouses being filled ships loaded, trams steam engines horses vying for space among the barrel and boxes piled high, imagine the dust from Corn Mills and timber yards the smoke and soot from fires and engines mixing with the sweet talk of labourers and seamen. Welcome to C19th Gloucester.

During the C19th Gloucester flourished through the canal and railway Ages and continued until the rise of motorways and container ships in the 1960’s

https://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/studies/historydocks.htm

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.86395, -2.252449 • what3words: ///spice.tinsel.healers

The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 20/11/2022. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

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St Andrew’s Church, Monmouthshire (By gasbag43)

St Andrew’s is a quintessential Welsh border church, primarily dating to the 14th and 15th centuries, though it occupies a much older sacred site. Its most famous historical treasure is a Roman funerary monument—the Julian Gaudentius stone—discovered beneath the floor, dedicated to a soldier of the Second Augustan Legion based at nearby Caerleon.

The Julian Gaudentius stone is one of the most significant Roman artifacts found in a Welsh parish church. Discovered in the late 18th century, it is a Di Manibus (dedicated to the spirits of the dead) funerary monument. The stone's presence suggests that the site of St Andrew’s may have been a Roman villa or a roadside burial ground long before the first Christian timber or stone church was erected.

Roman law forbade burials within the walls of a fortress, so soldiers were often buried along the roads leading out of Caerleon.

The architectural character of the church is defined by its sturdy, defensive-looking western tower and a traditional nave and chancel.

The image highlights the church’s secluded position within the rolling Monmouthshire landscape. The sprawling graveyard, dotted with weathered headstones, underscores its role as a focal point for the community over the centuries.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.64906, -2.897732 • what3words: ///divider.lengthen.assets

St Michaels Plumpton, Lewes (By grandad1950)

St Michaels grade 1 listed parish church is quite unusual as it is located in the middle of Plumpton Agricultural College in East Sussex. When I went the fields around the church had lamas and sheep in them. The church dates from the 11th Century

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.90506, -0.071677 • what3words: ///skater.fracture.baroness

Llandegfedd Reservoir, Torfaen (By gasbag43)

Inaugurated in 1965 by Cardiff Corporation Waterworks, Llandegfedd Reservoir was constructed to meet the burgeoning industrial and domestic water demands of Southeast Wales. Spanning 434 acres on the border of Monmouthshire and Torfaen, it was created by damming the Sor Brook, though its primary water source is pumped directly from the River Usk.

The two images i've posted capture the reservoir’s dual identity as a feat of civil engineering and a premier site for recreation -

• The Panorama: This wide shot highlights the massive earth-fill embankment dam and the surrounding 400 acres of SSSI-designated land (Site of Special Scientific Interest), emphasising its role as a vital habitat for overwintering wildfowl.

• The Intake Tower: The top-down perspective showcases the iconic concrete valve tower and access bridge. This structure is the "heart" of the operations, regulating water flow before it is pumped to the Sluvad Treatment Works.

Today, managed by Welsh Water, the site has evolved from a strict utility into a hub for sailing, fishing, and conservation, balancing the region's thirst with a commitment to ecological preservation.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.6861, -2.97502 • what3words: ///fallback.perfect.silks

St Peters Hamsey, Lewes (By grandad1950)

The tiny hamlet of Hamsey in the South Downs National park has a lovely ancient grade 1 listed church of St Peters and fine views over the river ouse. It is reached via a long single lane track with little parking if you drive

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.89117, 0.009614 • what3words: ///fire.consults.diet

The Bishop's Palace, Cardiff (By gasbag43)

The Bishop’s Palace at Llandaff was once the fortified residence of the Bishops of Llandaff. Constructed primarily in the late 13th century, it served as a symbol of ecclesiastical power and a necessary defence against local unrest.

The palace was largely destroyed during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr in 1404, leaving it the ruin seen today.

The Twin-Towered Gatehouse: In Photo 1, the massive gatehouse dominates the lower right corner. Its ruined state reveals the thick stone masonry required for a fortified manor.

The Curtain Wall: Photo 2 captures the rectangular "enclosure" layout. You can see the surviving stone walls that originally protected the inner courtyard, now a peaceful green space. This space once contained a magnificent Great Hall against the far wall, where the Bishop would host guests and conduct legal business.

To the rear of the site (visible in the top-left of the photos near the modern scaffolding), there would have been private chambers, kitchens, and storehouses that supported a large medieval household.

Modern Preservation: In both photos, blue scaffolding and protective fencing are visible on the far corner, highlighting ongoing conservation efforts to stabilize the medieval masonry for future generations.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.49446, -3.217337 • what3words: ///return.asks.bits

Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff (By gasbag43)

Llandaff Cathedral stands on one of Britain's oldest Christian sites, with roots reaching back to a 6th-century community founded by St. Dyfrig. The present structure began in 1107 under Bishop Urban. Over centuries, it evolved through Gothic expansions, suffered devastation during the English Civil War, and faced near-ruin after the "Great Storm" of 1703.

The top-down view highlights the cathedral’s unique "long-church" floor plan, lacking the traditional transepts (the "arms" of a cross). You can clearly see the moss-covered central nave and the Lady Chapel extending to the east.

The side profile image showcases the striking asymmetry of its West Front with the Jasper Tudor Tower (left - a 15th-century perpendicular Gothic tower) and the Prichard Tower and Spire (right - a 19th-century Victorian addition that replaced a collapsed medieval tower).

Despite being nearly levelled by a German parachute mine in 1941, the cathedral was meticulously restored by George Pace, blending its medieval soul with modern resilience.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.49577, -3.21801 • what3words: ///spins.flips.cheek

Caerleon Roman Amphitheatre, Newport (By gasbag43)

The Caerleon Roman Amphitheatre is the most complete site of its kind in Britain, once serving as the entertainment hub for the legionary fortress of Isca Augusta. Built around AD 90, it was designed to accommodate the entire Second Augustan Legion for gladiatorial combat.

The structure is a massive elliptical earthwork - the entire structure measuring approximately 82 metres by 68 metres. The Arena Floor is roughly 56 by 42 metres, while the tiered wooden banks, which rested on the stone-walled shells seen in the image, rose high enough to seat 6,000 spectators.

The shot highlights the eight vaulted entrances. The two largest openings at the ends of the long axis were the main processional gates. The smaller side chambers, some of which still show stone steps, led to "boxes" reserved for high-ranking officers.

I’ve added as additional piece of media an AI mock up of the amphitheatre based on the photo and local archaeological exploration

It’s a CADW site, so the usual restrictions on TOAL inside the perimeter are in place

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.60782, -2.956799 • what3words: ///locate.motel.others

Southover Grange Gardens, Lewes (By grandad1950)

Home to Lewes Register Office, the beautiful Southover Grange is fine 16th-century manor house set within the picturesque Southover Grange gardens. Tucked away in a quiet area of Lewes town centre. A good spot to fly in the busy town centre but you will need to find local street parking

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.87056, 0.008437 • what3words: ///outs.aboard.straw

Stanley Turner Ground Lewes, Lewes (By grandad1950)

Sharing the same facilities Lewes Rugby Club and the cricket club sit by the river nestled under the South Downs just to the south of the town. Its a good place to fly if there are no matches on. Good views of the downs and the river

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.86431, -0.002551 • what3words: ///eggs.gent.cracks

Hickling Basin on the Grantham Canal, Rushcliffe (By bryand)

I have been trying to document the current state of the Grantham Canal as it wends its way across the Vale of Belvoir. The Canal is mostly owned by the Canal and Rivers Trust, who have an NT-like policy. However there are enough bridges over the canal to provide TOAL spots without upsetting anybody.
Hickling Basin, at the southernmost point on the Canal is now a tourist spot popular with dog walkers. Probably best seen at this time of year with no foliage to hide the landscape and before nesting season.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.85842, -0.975287 • what3words: ///factored.kebab.spooned


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