What is a Thames sailing barge?

Thames barges were flat-bottomed sailing boats that were commonly used for shipping cargo along the River Thames and surrounding Essex coasts. More specifically referred to as a spritsail-type barge, Thames sailing barges are known for their large red sails which give them their iconic silhouette. During the post-medieval period, many Thames sailing barges were built at Maldon, the iconic silhouette now inspiring Maldon District Council’s logo. With the Industrial Revolution bringing new developments in the shipping and sailing industries, many barges were converted to motorised vessels in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Other vessels were repurposed for local ventures, some being converted as yachts or houseboats, and by the mid to late 20^th century many became abandoned and hulked along the Essex coastlines, no longer useful to their owners for commercial cargo transport.

Thames barges in the Essex HER and wider maritime context

The Essex HER (EHER) holds information for more than 300 ‘maritime’ records, with the greatest concentrations in Tendring along the River Stour and at the international port of Harwich, and in Rochford along the River Blackwater and the east coast at Foulness and Maplin Sands. Some of the records document the last known location of shipwrecks, whilst others record known information about hulked vessels that are no longer capable of sailing as a result of conversion for storage purposes or deliberate abandonment. Records for maritime vessels which are situated below the Mean High Water are maintained by the National Marine Heritage Record.

There are records for at least 16 Thames sailing barges in the EHER, though the true number of wrecked or hulked Thames barges in Essex is likely far greater, owing to the fact that, for many vessels, the identification information is no longer accessible or may not have been known when the wreck was recorded. Other classes of vessel recorded in the maritime monument records include yachts, cutters, brigs, schooners and target barges, as at the 1930s bombing range in Bradwell-on-Sea (EHER 46141).

The Rose at Beaumont Quay, Hamford Waters

A notable example of the Thames Sailing Barge is The Rose (EHER 81766), the remains of which are hulked at Beaumont Quay in Hamford Waters (see EHER 9121). Together with the remains of the early 19^th century Beaumont Cut (an artificial canal, EHER 83447) and a late 19^th century lime kiln (EHER 81767), the site is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Notable for her documented history and unlikely abandonment, The Rose (official no. 82392), was a 42-ton spritsail barge, launched on 29^th September 1880 and built in Maldon, an early medieval harbour and focal point for post-medieval ship building. When launched, she was owned jointly by Charles Ward, a miller, and Charles Hawes and Samuel Thompson, hay merchants of Maldon. Presumably she carried cargoes of hay or grain products between Maldon and London prior to being sold to new owners in around 1930 and becoming a lighter at Heybridge Basin. In 1961 she was retired from coastal trade and sold for conversion to a house barge. It was at this time that she came to be towed into position at Beaumont Quay, where she has remained ever since, the conversion never taking place.

Although it appears as though The Rose wasn’t ever based at the Beaumont Quay for coastal trade, another barge, the Beaumont Belle of Maldon (EHER 13733), was. Built in 1894 at Maldon by The Rose’s ship builder John Howard, the Beaumont Belle (official no. 102894) was a 54-ton spritsail barge. From 1947 she was sold for use as a lighter and in the 1990s she was hulked and burnt at Heybridge Creek.

Maldon shipbuilding legacy and the barge graveyard

Maldon can trace its origins as a coastal port town well into the Early Medieval period. Documentary evidence from around 1066 indicates that, as well as a quay and presumed loading/unloading and storage facilities, the Hythe may have also had a boat-building yard at this time (see EHER 7717). The Hythe continued to be the focal point of maritime activity in Maldon into the medieval period, with associated industry, such as shops and warehouses, developing around the waterfront.

By the post-medieval period, coastal trade from the port was so plentiful that a second harbour area at Fullbridge (EHER 18800) was created, redirecting the focus to further up the River Blackwater. During this time, the Hythe appears to have retained its role as a boat-building yard, as is evidenced by the listed workshop (EHER 38472) of Taylor and Sons, Sailmakers, which had originally been built as a granary. A similar weatherboarded single storey building, probably 20th century in origin, survives at the southern extent of the Hythe and is also used for boat repair purposes. In the modern day, the Hythe is now home to many Thames sailing barges that have been lovingly restored and offer regular day trips on the Blackwater.

Roughly 1km to the south-east near the Maldon Promenade Park is a collection of hulked Thames barges and other vessels, locally known as the ‘Maldon Barge Graveyard’ (EHER 82000). The site consists of approximately 15 hulked barges and boats including the British Lion of Rochester (EHER 13735); Mamgu of London (EHER 13739); William Cleverly of Rochester (EHER 13744); Pretoria of Faversham (EHER 13741) and Vicuna of London (EHER 82001). Amongst the hulks are also the remains of a lighter, a steel mooring pontoon, an Admiralty launch, two fishing boats and several other vessels.

Use the links to explore the EHER monument records for the individual vessels in the Maldon Barge Graveyard.