 Up until the 19th century the River Severn was a vital commercial thoroughfare providing a transport system for food, minerals, timber and other cash crops produced in the region to reach their markets in the outside world.Flat bottomed sailing barges known as Severn trows used to navigate the river as far as Gloucester, but they could only do that on the high spring tides.According to Brian Waters in his book "The Severn Tide" "The barges often had to wait high and dry on the Arlingham shore for high water.