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For centuries life was good for GLOUCESTER . The Romans chose the spot for a garrison to guard the Severn and spy on Wales, and later for a colonia or home for retired soldiers - the highest status a provincial Roman town could dream of. Commercial prestige came with trade up the River Severn, which developed into one of the busiest trade routes in Europe. The city's political importance hit its peak under the Normans, when William the Conqueror met here frequently with his council of nobles. The Middle Ages saw Gloucester's rise as a religious centre, and the construction of what is now the cathedral, but also saw its political and economic decline: navigating the Severn as far up as Gloucester was so difficult that most trade gradually shifted south to Bristol. In a brave attempt to reverse the city's decline, a canal was opened in 1827 to link Gloucester to Sharpness, on a broader stretch of the Severn further south. Trade picked up for a time, but it was only a temporary stay of execution.

Today, the canal is busy once again, though this time with pleasure boats. The Victorian dockyards too have undergone a facelift and are touted as the city's great new tourist attraction, though Gloucester's most prominent sight is the cathedral , its tower visible for miles around. Few other buildings in the city have survived the ravages of history and the twentieth century, with the centre a mish-mash of medieval ruins swallowed up by ugly new buildings. A web of roads engulfs Gloucester, and if you're driving , the best advice is to head for the docks (well signposted) and park there. National Express runs buses from all neighbouring cities and beyond, and there are frequent local services from Cheltenham. Trains arrive every one or two hours at the station at Bruton Way, five minutes' walk east of the Cross, from London, Cheltenham, Cardiff, Worcester and Bristol; the bus station is right opposite.