'Amazing achievement' of Gloucester Docks celebrated

Gloucester Docks has a rich maritime history

Gloucester has been designated a Heritage Harbour by the Maritime Heritage Trust, thanks to its historic docks.

The city's new status was proclaimed by town crier, Alan Myatt, outside North Warehouse on Monday.

Gloucester joins 12 other Heritage Harbour locations, with the recognition designed to safeguard the infrastructure and buildings that support working maritime heritage vessels.

The docks are considered to be Britain's most inland port, and are considered the best preserved example of Victorian Docks in the country.

The proclamation was followed by a cannon firing, with celebrations to continue alongside the Gloucester History Festival.

The festival will run until 22 September, with a number of events focusing on maritime history.

Attendees to the proclamation were invited to board the Kathleen and May, the last British-built topsail schooner of its kind still afloat.

Henry Cleary, Heritage Harbours’ convenor and chair of Maritime Heritage Trust, said: "Heritage Harbours are about capturing the interactions between navigable water and the land and buildings alongside it.

"No other designation does this and we now have locations which represent the main types of historic port from the Roman period to the 19th century."

'An honour'

Tony Conder, chair of the Gloucester Docks Bicentenary Working Team, said the designation is "an amazing achievement" for Gloucester.

"It offers fantastic opportunities for all the current partners engaged within the historic Port of Gloucester to celebrate the Bicentenary in 2027 and to go on to strengthen the Gloucester Docks businesses and enhance the enjoyment of visitors to this maritime heritage site into the future," he said.

Meanwhile, leader of Gloucester City Council, Jeremy Hilton, said it is "an honour" for Gloucester to receive the title.

"It’s important to preserve and protect our heritage for present and future generations and the docks have played a very important role the growth of our city for 200 years and continue to do so today," he said.