Tamar barge

A Tamar barge is a masted sailing vessel, designed for carrying cargo along the River Tamar[1] and the south coast of Cornwall.

Shamrock berthed at Cotehele Quay, on the Cotehele Estate in Cornwall

The Tamar barge can be either a single or double masted vessel. It can carry up to 32 tonnes. Tamar barges were manufactured in the 19th century in the Tamar Valley by boatbuilders such as James Goss of Calstock, Frederick Hawke of Stonehouse, Plymouth and David Banks of Queen Anne’s Battery in Sutton Harbour, Plymouth.

There are only two surviving Tamar barges, both have been almost completely restored. Normally one, Shamrock, is open to visitors at Cotehele Quay[2] and the other, Lynher, is privately owned and moored at Cremyll.

Shamrock is currently undergoing extensive repairs due to lack of maintenance which had led to mould and rot spreading throughout the timbers. The National Trust has launched a fundraising campaign to pay for the repairs to the historic vessel.[3]

List of known Tamar Barges
VesselImageLengthSail PlanBuilderDatePlaceFateRef
Bertie 46.2 ft Sloop David Banks and Co. 1883 Queen Annes Battery,
Plymouth		 Abandoned in 1928 at Hooe Lake [4]
Edith Unknown Cutter Unknown c1890 Unknown Unknown
Edwin 55.1 ft Unknown Richard Hill & Sons 1880 Cattedown,
Plymouth		 Abandoned in 1924, partly broken up, at Pomphlett Creek [5]
Elizabeth Jane Unknown Cutter Unknown Unknown Unknown Abandoned at Antony Passage [6]
Flora May 51.2 ft Cutter James Goss 1897 Calstock,
Devon		 Operated between Danescombe Quay and Plymouth
Later abandoned		 [7]
Kathleen Unknown Cutter Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown [8]
Lillie Unknown Sloop Unknown 1899 Unknown Unknown [9]
Little Industry 40 ft Sloop Unknown c1880 Falmouth Unknown [10]
Lynher 51.2 ft Cutter James Goss 1896 Calstock,
Devon		 Abandoned in the 1950’s at Poldrissick Quay
Restored in 1999 by Charlie Force
Currently Operational		 [11]
Myrtle 50 ft Sloop Robert May 1896 Danescombe Quay,
Calstock		 Unknown [12]
Pearl Unknown Unknown Unknown 1840 Unknown Abandoned at Hooe Lake [13]
Phoenix 51.9 ft Cutter Frederick Hawke 1900 Stonehouse,
Plymouth		 Unknown [14]
Reaper Unknown Unknown Frederick Hawke c1900 Stonehouse,
Plymouth		 Unknown [15]
Shamrock 57.5 ft Ketch Frederick Hawke 1899 Stonehouse,
Plymouth		 Abandoned in the 1960’s at Hooe Lake
Restored in 1975 by the National Trust
Currently a Floating Museum		 [16]
Triumph 56.5 ft Cutter Frederick Hawke 1898 Stonehouse,
Plymouth		 Used in WWII, later abandoned at Poldrissick Quay [17]

Surviving Tamar barges

See also

References
  1. Calstock Online Parish Clerk River Tamar Travel
  2. Shamrock at Cotehele
  3. "Saving Shamrock". National Trust. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  4. Tamar Barge Bertie
  5. Tamar Barge Edwin
  6. Tamar Barge Elizabeth Jane
  7. Tamar Barge Flora May
  8. Calstock Parish Archives
  9. Tamar Barge Lillie
  10. Tamar Barge Little Industry
  11. Tamar Barge Lynher
  12. Cotehele Quay Heritage Centre
  13. Tamar Barge Pearl
  14. Tamar Barge Phoenix
  15. Tamar Barge Reaper
  16. Tamar Barge Shamrock
  17. Tamar Barge Triumph
  18. National Historic Ships UK

Further reading
  • "Meet Shaune Blight" National Trust Magazine; summer 2019, p. 82 ("Shamrock, the last working ketch-rigged Tamar sailing barge to be built ... [he] is responsible for keeping the 120-year-old boat afloat")
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