The Stroudwater Navigation is a canal which linked Stroud to the Severn Estuary in England and Wales. It was authorised in 1776, although part had already been built, as the proprietors believed that an Act of Parliament obtained in 1730 gave them the necessary powers. Opened in 1779, it was a commercial success, its main cargo being coal. It was 8 miles (13 km) in length and had a rise of 102 feet 5 inches (31.22 m) through 12 locks.