Members who attended Julian Souter’s talk, The Staffs & Worcs Canal: A Historical A–Z, will be pleased to hear that his long-awaited book on the canal has now been published.

The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, researched and written by Julian Souter, was published by Amberley Publishing on 15 July 2026. It is the first book devoted solely to the canal since Ian Langford’s Towpath Guide, published more than fifty years ago.

That alone makes it a significant publication for anyone with an interest in the Staffs & Worcs. Completed in 1771, the canal links the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood with the River Severn at Stourport. Over its 46 miles and 43 locks, it passes through a landscape shaped by industry, agriculture, transport, settlement and, in more recent years, leisure and preservation.

In its working heyday, the canal was one of the great routes of the canal age, carrying coal, iron, limestone, timber and other goods. Today, although its trade has changed, it remains a living waterway, used by boaters, walkers and all those who value the towpath, locks, bridges, cottages and landscapes that survive along its length.

Julian’s book explores both the original canal and the waterway as it exists today. Drawing on a wealth of images, maps and documents, it looks at the people who promoted, financed, built and benefited from the canal, as well as the engineers and landowners whose decisions shaped its route and character.

Those who heard Julian speak will know that his research has gone well beyond simply repeating familiar stories. His work challenges long-held assumptions, examines the canal’s original features and route, and brings to light lesser-known aspects of its construction and development.

The book can now be ordered at a discounted price from Amberley Publishing:

This promises to be an important addition to the bookshelf of any Staffs & Worcs enthusiast — and, given the gap since the last dedicated book on the canal, one that is probably overdue.