Situated 30 minutes drive from Gloucester, Stroud is a small, genuinely historic and picturesque village notable for its large number of convict-era buildings. It is nestled in the pleasant, green and rather English, Karuah Valley. The town is under National Trust classification. It was created in the 1820s and 1830s as a company town for the Australian Agricultural Company which means that much of it was planned and the most significant buildings were constructed by the company's convict workforce who made the bricks by hand.
The appeal of the town is simple. Walk around and admire some of the oldest buildings in New South Wales.
Heritage Walk
Many of Stroud's old buildings have been faithfully preserved and the whole town is under National Trust classification. The oldest are convict-built. As a company town which was planned rather than developed piecemeal, it retains some unity of focus and character.
The simplest way to see it is to get a heritage walk brochure from the newsagency at the corner of Cowper Street (the main through-road) and Memorial Avenue. If it is not open there is a very easy alternative - there is a map outside the Court House - Historic Stroud - and it lists eight places of interest all of which are within easy walking distance (5 of the 8 are in Cowper Street). Each place has an informative sign outside.
Stroud Gate
At the southern end of town, where Hinton Street meets The Bucketts Way, there was a town gate in a fence which encircled the settlement, partly for the defence of the sheep. At the time there was a 10pm curfew due to concerns about Aborigines and convicts. Although it is no longer there, it is possible to imagine this as there is a replica gate in Stroud Park at the northern end of town.
1. Silo Hill
The hill, located at the end of Broadway Street (which runs off Cowper Street), was named after eight underground silos which were built by convicts in 1841 to store the AAC's grain and protect it from weevils and fly moths. The silos are still there and can be inspected. The silos are 6 metres deep and 5 metres wide, internally lined with hand made bricks, and bell-shaped. Collectively they were capable of storing 10,000 bushels of grain. Seven have been sealed off but one is open for inspection. You can climb down the metal ladder.
The two 60 pound (27 kg) cannons near the silos were made in England in 1855-1856, at the time of the Crimean War. They became part of the battery protecting Sydney Harbour in 1866 and, in 1882, were sent to Signal Hill (now Fort Scratchley) in Newcastle. By 1909 they had become obsolete and were transported by boat from Newcastle to Booral and then by bullock dray to their present site.
To Book a tour or for more information on Stroud
Click https: www.stroudhistoricalsociety.com
The appeal of the town is simple. Walk around and admire some of the oldest buildings in New South Wales.
Heritage Walk
Many of Stroud's old buildings have been faithfully preserved and the whole town is under National Trust classification. The oldest are convict-built. As a company town which was planned rather than developed piecemeal, it retains some unity of focus and character.
The simplest way to see it is to get a heritage walk brochure from the newsagency at the corner of Cowper Street (the main through-road) and Memorial Avenue. If it is not open there is a very easy alternative - there is a map outside the Court House - Historic Stroud - and it lists eight places of interest all of which are within easy walking distance (5 of the 8 are in Cowper Street). Each place has an informative sign outside.
Stroud Gate
At the southern end of town, where Hinton Street meets The Bucketts Way, there was a town gate in a fence which encircled the settlement, partly for the defence of the sheep. At the time there was a 10pm curfew due to concerns about Aborigines and convicts. Although it is no longer there, it is possible to imagine this as there is a replica gate in Stroud Park at the northern end of town.
1. Silo Hill
The hill, located at the end of Broadway Street (which runs off Cowper Street), was named after eight underground silos which were built by convicts in 1841 to store the AAC's grain and protect it from weevils and fly moths. The silos are still there and can be inspected. The silos are 6 metres deep and 5 metres wide, internally lined with hand made bricks, and bell-shaped. Collectively they were capable of storing 10,000 bushels of grain. Seven have been sealed off but one is open for inspection. You can climb down the metal ladder.
The two 60 pound (27 kg) cannons near the silos were made in England in 1855-1856, at the time of the Crimean War. They became part of the battery protecting Sydney Harbour in 1866 and, in 1882, were sent to Signal Hill (now Fort Scratchley) in Newcastle. By 1909 they had become obsolete and were transported by boat from Newcastle to Booral and then by bullock dray to their present site.
To Book a tour or for more information on Stroud
Click https: www.stroudhistoricalsociety.com