Maritime Heritage -

the era of sail and fishing communities

The age of working sail was in steep decline by the early 1900’s. The previous 500 years or so had seen continuous improvements in hull design, sail arrangements, and fishing techniques... Today, hidden at the top of muddy creeks around our coast, are the last remains of some of those hearty workboats.

from an original by Walter Langley

from an original by Walter Langley

Old Bowmore, Islay

The wreck of this Cornish working boat has now vanished but used to lie on the beach of the Percuil river.

This vessel can still be found in Froe Creek, Cornwall, and is the same class as the one above. It lies on a very muddy bank and can only be reached by boat.

Sixty or seventy years after being ‘retired’, the deck of this boat is still intact, despite the ravages of saltwater and sun.

In the quiet headwaters of Gillan Creek, Cornwall - here are the remains of a massively-built ‘stone barge’.