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Written by Administrator on 28 February 2023. Posted in Uncategorised.

Exeter HH

About the Heritage Harbour:

The historic city of Exeter sits on the River Exe, and seaborne traders have visited there since pre-Roman times. Exeter Ship Canal was begun in 1563 so maritime trade could circumvent the blocking of the river.

The Canal, Basin and Quay are now the heart of Exeter’s heritage harbour. The history of Exeter’s trade and shipping is displayed in the Grade 1 listed Custom House (1608) on the Quay. A variety of vessels are berthed or undergo restoration in the Basin and boatyard.

Maritime Visitor Attractions:

Riverside and boatyard environment, tow path walks and cycling
Canal/Locks
Historic quayside buildings and warehouses
Visitor Centre
Outdoor Education Centre
Boat trips

In the Past:

The Canal was extended, widened and deepened to allow for larger seagoing vessels. Ships from The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Italy sailed to Exeter for the successful wool trade. The 18^th century saw golden years for maritime Exeter with woollen mills working at capacity and wool imported from Ireland to deal with demand. The City Basin opened in 1830 to great celebration so vessels could load and unload regardless of the River Exe being in flood. However, as with many ports, the railways curtailed the working maritime industry. In the 20^th century, petrol, oil, timber, coal, cement and even potatoes passed through the port but commercial trade on the Canal dwindled and ceased altogether early in 1972.

Now and the Future:

Buildings around the Quay and Basin today house popular pubs, cafes, restaurants, activity centres and independent shops. The Canal can be enjoyed on foot, by bike and on the water. Canoes, bikes and water sports equipment can be hired.

The harbour has embarked on a working ‘heritage’ revival that reflects past maritime tradition and skills and looks forward to the future: providing berths for historic and traditional vessels; attracting boat building and traditional skills; encouraging more boat use by visitors and locally; navigation to be made more accessible; and opportunities for public engagement. In 2023 an East Coast smack and a replica Thames Barge were among the first visiting heritage vessels to be announced.

Heritage Harbours VE Anniversary National Trail Events

Childrens Activities
Shanty Festival
Walking Tours of Historic Quayside
Story and Music Presentations

See What's On - Exeter Custom House

Links:

https://exeterheritageharbour.co.uk
https://www.friendsofexetershipcanal.co.uk/
https://www.exeterquay.org/
https://exeter.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/sport-and-leisure/exeter-port-authority/harbour-masters-office-and-team/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/exetermemories/
https://www.facebook.com/ExeterPortAuthority

Contacts:

Hannah Hurford
Exeter Heritage Harbour Development Officer
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
W: exeterheritageharbour.co.uk

John Monks
Chair of the Friends of Exeter Ship Canal
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
W: www.friendsofexetership canal.co.uk

Jon Bell
Exeter Canal and Quay Trust
W: www.exeterquay,org

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Faversham & Oare HH

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About the Heritage Harbour:

Faversham & Oare Creeks, off the East Swale in the lower part of the Thames Estuary, have a maritime history going back to before Roman times. The town flourished as a port until the last century, including a famous former small shipbuilding yard, James Pollock Sons & Co Ltd (whose archive is held partly by the National Maritime Museum and partly by the Faversham Society) and today provides a vivid example of how merchant sail and coastal fisheries developed up to the modern era as part of an historic town.

Maritime Visitor Attractions:

Faversham’s special features today include the retention of creekside buildings, warehouses, boatyards and quaysides which continue to attract shallow draught historic vessels and provide a working example of a small port in an attractive historic environment for visitors. The Faversham and Oare Heritage Harbour Group is an alliance of organisations with an interest in restoring and regenerating the Creeks led by the Faversham Creek Trust , with the primary aims of safeguarding, developing and promoting the historic port. The Trust was started in 2011 by a group of local residents with the aim of regenerating the town’s maritime economy and in particular campaigning with other organisations to call for a replacement opening bridge across the creek; this would once again allow boats to navigate up into the Basin, the head of the tidal waters, and restore Faversham Creek as a fully working waterway, also creating attractions for visitors. The Trust has developed a training scheme for shipwrights, supported traditional boatbuilding skills, and refurbished the Purifier building at the head of the creek to act as a training centre, a workshop, and a focus for community activities, such as Cinque Ports Rowing – a community skiff building and rowing club, and relating to the town’s maritime heritage as a Cinque Port Limb.

Heritage Harbours VE Anniversary National Trail Events

Guided walk: Faversham Creek in wartime and Pollocks Shipyard.
Weds 17th September, 11am
Bookings: www.favershamsociety.org
Ddetails to follow

Links:

Historic vessels can be seen alongside at Standard Quay and Town Quay, which include medieval warehouses, at Iron Wharf Boatyard and Ham Wharf (Oare Creek). Boatyard and repair facilities are at Iron Wharf, YoungBoats at Oare and Hollow Shore Boatyard (at the confluence of Faversham and Oare Creeks) which includes traditional wooden boat building .

Individual historic vessels based in and often to be found in Faversham & Oare Creeks include eight Thames Sailings Barges - “Mirosa”, “Orinoco”, “Ironsides”, “Lady of the Lea”, “Greta”, “Henry”, “Tollesbury” and “Repertor” and the bawley “Thistle” Many other traditional sailing boats can be seen particularly around the annual Swale Barge Match.

There are excellent walks along Faversham Creek forming part of the Saxon Shore Way. See also ExploreKent.org .

Local and maritime history and Faversham Museum and Visitor Information Centre .

Faversham Creek Trust

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Maldon and Heybridge HH

Quay
Blue Mermaid
Boat Trips

About the Heritage Harbour:

Maldon and Heybridge Heritage Harbour Association aims to ensure that Maldon’s historic waterfront fabric, buildings, vessels and traditional nautical crafts are thriving for our future and generations to come.
“As well as supporting the fantastic work that businesses, charities and the council carry out here in Maldon and Heybridge, we also have the ambition that the Hythe at Maldon retains its status as a working quay for the Thames Sailing Barges - plus using the historic vessels and parts of the designated harbour to be a centre for sustainable cargoes.

Maritime Visitor Attractions:

Vessels
Maritime Activity
Boat Repair and Maintenance
On Water Activities
Coastal Environment
Boat Trips

In the Past:

Maldon’s Hythe Quay has welcomed seagoing ships for over 1,000 years and today is a base for many of the surviving Thames Sailing Barges, some offering passenger charters or sail training and keeping rare skills and types of vessel alive, all with a fascinating history including for example use at Dunkirk. Maldon is also the home of many other historic vessels including the steam tug Brent, Essex sailing smacks (some nearly 200 years old) and many others.

Once vital for trade, Maldon’s cargo was moved to and from London, Kent, the south coast, Yorkshire and Northumberland, as well as across the Channel to the Netherlands, France and Belgium. However siltation and the opening of the Chelmsford to Blackwater Canal in 1797 greatly reduced traffic though by the middle of the 19th century, Maldon, Heybridge Basin and Chelmsford began working together, and the area saw healthy levels of trade until World War I. A steep decline in cargo carrying over the last century put the region’s maritime heritage at risk, leaving the waterways, the harbour buildings and local vessels in a vulnerable position.

Now and the Future:

Today, passenger vessels such as the restored Thames barges form the main traffic on the estuary and regular Open Days are held when on board visits can be made on some of these.

Repair and maintenance facilities are important - heritage craft, whether made from metal or wood, and powered by engines or sails – need a lot of attention. Maldon has five boatyards in operation - which help maintain these craft. Included are the historic Cook’s Yard which dates back to 1894 now operated by Topsail Charters and Downs Road Boatyard where there are currently three apprentices, but the aim is create more opportunities for young people to get involved. Bringing back to Maldon additional working traditional sail loft and more sailmakers is another ambition - ADM Sails, based in Heybridge, has been carrying out modern and traditional sailmaking for the past 14 years.