“A Gardner engine is not only an example of engineering elegance, but also a work of art, there is an associaion of heritage between our lovely old barges and the oace and esteem of the Gardner engine. Both are work horses” Continue reading Gardner’s at Dawn
“But our mainsail is set, and Maldon is already dropping astern. The river is narrow here, and the smacks lie at low water listing against a sandy beach. Above them are serval yards, where history had been made and they now build little yachts, and against the quay lie a few sailing-Barges” The Last Stronghold … Continue reading Sailing Off The Hythe Quay
Sailing Barge Thistle 1895. Thistle is the oldest iron barge still sailing and the only Thames barge built in Scotland. She was launched by William Hamilton & Co on the Clyde in 1895 and traded through two World Wars before her first engine was installed in 1948. Her first owner was H A Covington, a … Continue reading About Our Thistle.
Guests Enjoyed a Fabulous Day Out On The River Stour. A little video from Captain Rob onboard Sailing Barge Thistle. Guests enjoyed a lovely cruise and lunch on the river. There will be more of these updates from the skipper coming up. Continue reading Thistle On The Stour
Its a cold Tuesday morning after a sunny Bank Holiday. However we have been entertaining ourselves this morning by looking in the archive. Here are some photographs of Cooks Barge Yard and a brief piece of History. It was with an order from James Keeble, a well know Maldon barge owning family, to build the … Continue reading Above the Blocks.
Barge Yarns From Underneath The Topsail 