This unique railway goods shed, built in 1845 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway is thought to be the oldest remaining wayside shed of its type. It is a Tudor Gothic revival style, open shed with offset miniature flying buttresses. Measuring 30m by 13m it is built of squared and coursed local Cotswold limestone with ashlar dressings and chimneys, it has a Welsh slate roof. It has a small 2 storey office addition of 1890, which replaced an original single storey lean-to. There are three arched road vehicle entrances and two rail entrances, one of which has had an early C20th steel lintel inserted. The original rail was broad gauge. On the rail side, externally, painted lettering reads

GWR STROUD STATION EXPRESS GOODS TRAIN SERVICES – DAY TRANSITS BETWEEN IMPORTANT TOWNS

set above eight blocked gothic-arched window openings.

Internally there is a raised loading platform cut out for road vehicle loading positions. It is likely that originally a timber platform ran down the middle of the Goods Shed.

Steel framed early C20th extensions and a signal box (installed in 1905) were demolished in 1976 leaving the original building. It was built to a Brunel standard design and is now the only survivor of this type. (E T MacDermot, History of the Great Western Railway vol 1 1964 and O S Nock, The Railway Heritage of Britain 1983).

The Brunel Goods Shed was used as covered accommodation for unloading and transferring goods to road vehicles, initially horse drawn carts and later lorries. It supplied local shops and industries until 1966 when it was closed. It has not been used since.

It was one of a string of smaller, similar Goods Sheds at Coates, Brimscombe and Stonehouse, all of which have now been demolished.

The slate roof was removed in 1984 by British Rail as it was dangerous to the public. The building was listed grade II in 1985 and subsequently upgraded to II* status. In 1986 Stroud Preservation Trust took a 40 year lease on the building and organised major repair and improvement works to the external shell, spending £130,000 in 1988. This comprised a new slate roof with all rainwater goods, stonework repairs and installation of services.