Boat Graveyard on River Severn

Thursday 4th July 2024:
This week I drove across the old Severn Bridge to look for the end of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, where it joins the River Severn at the port of Sharpness.
My main reason for the visit though, was to see the ‘Boat Graveyard’, which is a little further up the coast at Purton, where the river comes within just a few metres of the canal. In order to strengthen the river-bank, no less than 86 boats and barges have been beached - mostly in the 1950s, in order to guard against the canal collapsing into the Severn. An incredible idea and it seems to have worked!
I discovered that you can’t easily walk to Purton from Sharpness, so if you want to visit the ‘graveyard’, it’s best to park at Purton, (there’s a nice car park next to the canal), from where it’s a short walk of a few hundred metres down the towpath. I’ve added the post code at Purton on the video.
Plenty of information about it on the internet too- the site is also known as ‘Purton Hulks’ and the ‘Ships Graveyard’.
Along the canal, I also found the remains of a railway bridge which once crossed the river to Lydney, until a disaster happened in 1960.
Lots of nice footage of boats to see too, and of course this fabulous canal as well.
Hope you enjoy it!
Cheers,
Jeff
By the way, if you do enjoy the video, then please consider subscribing - it really helps me to grow the channel! (Don’t forget to switch on ‘notifications).
You can see more of my videos, including my journeys along the canals, and of my Brompton bike at:
/ @gladysthenarrowboat

[@bazza945]

Thank you, from New Zealand, mid-winter, July 2024.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Greetings Bazza! Well, its supposed to be summer here, but its raining on and off and not at all hot... we had to light a fire last night!

[@trevorsbarkingmadchannel4501]

Very interesting indeed. Thank u 🙏.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Thanks Trevor! 😁

[@GeraldPalmer-so2li]

Thank you Jeff for educating me on part the county I call home. I will be visiting the graveyard ect this summer.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hi Gerald! Yes, its amazing what's on one's 'front door'! Who needs to travel abroad when there's so much to see here?!

[@jackpayne4658]

My paternal grandmother was landlady of a pub in Sharpness, circa 1910. Growing up in Poole, Dorset, in the 1950s, there were lots of shallow bays around Poole Harbour. Many of them had abandoned boats, large and small, in various stages of decay. I often wondered about their histories and how they came to be left there.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hi Jack! Wow - that's interesting - perhaps it may be that deliberately beaching unwanted boats has been a practice for a long time. I guess every abandoned boat has a story to tell. 👍

[@angelaaz6282]

Very good plan to use the abandoned or derelict boats as a kind of protective dam to work against river overflow and flooding! An interesting video of the area…too bad not a more sunny day 😅

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Thanks Angela! Yes, it was weird weather - quite overcast at times and then sunny and bright for 10 minutes. Hard to know what to wear when I set off! ☹️

[@dcvariousvids8082]

Interesting that during WWII, concrete boats/barges were made to be floated across the channel. Where they’d be beached to form mooring jetties & tie-ups, for the landing of following equipment. I’d heard of this graveyard but never visited. After seeing this, puts me in mind to give it a visit. I’ve built and repaired revetments on the NW shore of Windermere. Dragging, rolling and winching boulders into position. Nothing nearing as big as these. Just in case anyone’s wondering why there was a swing bridge over the canal. It wasn’t just low boats & barges that navigated the canal. But also masted boats, which required a greater clearance under the rail bridge. Apparently, the children of Sharpness, would routinely travel to the school at Lydney. The the bridge was hit by the first boat, the families of said children, were among those interested in the bridge being repaired. As the children were being bused to ‘n’ fro school. Each way taking around 3hrs. But shorting after surveyors and engineers proposing that it was feasible. The second boat got a bit too close for comfort… and the plan was abandoned. The bridge had never really earned its keep, (even driving the initial construction investors into bankruptcy). The plan was to rake in a fortune hauling coal from Wales to Sharpness. But only 6yrs. after completion, alternate transport was hauling far great quantities of freight direct to Bristol docks for export. Cutting out the bridge, transport along the canal and all the double-handling along the way. Turned both Lydney and Sharpness into the backwaters they are today. Than you.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

As ever DC, you are amine of information! Yes, you're right about the swing bridge, and in fact, 3 masted ships still go up to Gloucester on special occasions - so they'd certainly need a swing bridge to get past. You would love the boats graveyard - definitely worth the trip. Its about 20 minutes drive after you cross the old Severn Bridge (up the M5 a bit, then off to the left). Its not far from Slimbridge wildlife reserve, and also Berkeley Castle - I recall a school trip to the castle, and seeing Edward Jenner's laboratory there. That was a helluva journey to school. I must see about making a trip to Lydney soon - to explore what may remain of the bridge on that side 👍

[@johnsharman76142]

Hi Jeff another interesting vlog of yours and what a width the 7 is i remember fishing the 7 at a place called Monk more at Birmingham back in the 70s it was a Match that our local fishing club organised (Paladin) in Northwich Ches, where i live. I was quite shocked to find how wide it was as I'd been so use to fishing the weaver and the Dane two waters in Northwich. I must admit that i found the 7 a very interesting water to fish and also very shocked to experience the fast flowing compared to my usual waters mentioned. Ive watched quite a few vt's of narrowboats travelling on the 7 and i noticed how challenging this water is. However im sure you will take it in your stride if you ever attempt to take Gladys along it.😮😊 As always take care and stay safe out there. 😊 John.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hi John! yes, the Severn is very impressive - I've done vlogs from Droitwich down as far as Sharpness, and it changes so much. And the depth altered noticeably even during the couple of hours that I walked down to Sharpness and back. So you live in Northwich? - you'll not be far from a canal there then! I have seen videos of boats entering the port at Sharpness and it looks like quite a complicated maneuver - thanks for your vote of confidence, but I doubt I'd be brave enough to take Gladys on there - much as I'd love to do the Sharpness Canal to Gloucester! Thanks John 👍

[@DavidJames-rz9lt]

Hi Jeff, Really enjoyed this video. I'd never heard of the Purton Ship Graveyard. A nice place to visit for sure. What a genius idea that was to beach those boats to protect the canal. By the way, the boat is enclosed in the protective fence to stop people taking it out sailing in the evening. Don't take my word on this though Jeff, as my researchers are all junkies 😂 The canal itself looks like an anglers, boaters and cyclists paradise, a really beautiful stretch of canal. Looks like you had a really enjoyable day out again while envious me was stuck at work. You are becoming quite the competent documentarist, hence the BBC stalking you. A six figure salary awaits. See you in the next video 👍

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hi Dave! Thanks for the comment and your suggestion about the enclosed boat - I guess that is one possible explanation!😁 Yes, it was a genius idea - and it would seem to have done the trick. Its a fabulous canal and unlike any other I've seen so far - I'd love to take Gladys on it, but getting to it in the first place might be a problem. Possibly next year, after I've had a few months getting used to the boat, but we'll see. Those people at the BBC are hounding me night and day Dave. Only this afternoon, when I was outside building the latest holzhausen, someone helpfully handed me a log to use, and when I turned around, it was a BBC executive, smoking a fat cigar, with a tempting contract in his briefcase... I told him where he could stick his log! 😁

[@DavidJames-rz9lt]

@@Gladysthenarrowboat Good for you Jeff 😂

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Thanks Dave! 👍

[@JohnHowarth-m6z]

Jeff, Very Interesting. Perhaps they could recycle cars, buses planes, boats etc for sea defences😂

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hi John! Thanks, I'm very glad you found it interesting 👍 I think you should take this idea of yours to the new government - could be just the policy that they need to kick start the economy! 👍

[@barryhansen6854]

Yes there is a girl that videos the boats coming into Sharpness on YT. I live in Dunedin NZ so in 1,1/2hours NZ will be playing England in the local covered Stadium Rugby of course. Pity about the boat called Barry but I'm sure it's doing a stirling job.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Ah yes, I think I saw a video on YT of a large boat/ship going through the lock. Congrats to the All Blacks by the way! Yes, pity about 'Barry' - but a better end than some boats come to I suppose.

[@bazza945]

Nice to know that in a far off land, a boat named Barry lives, not quite forgotten. 😢😅 Cheers, Bazza.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Thanks Bazza! Yes, Barry is definitely not forgotten - there's a nice plaque with its name on for all to see. And on the other side of the Severn, not far along the Welsh coast, there's the port of Barry of course! And Barry Island, with its sandy beaches! 👍😊

[@aBoatTime-uw9br]

Just down the road from me.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Lucky you - Its well worth a visit if you haven't been yet! (Though I expect you have already!) 😁

[@anniemac3075]

The walkway looks very rotten, glad it's not accessible! Poor boats being buried but it means they serve a purpose for much longer, rather clever idea that could be extended elsewhere. There's a beach in England where they've buried rows of Christmas trees to rebuild sand dunes to keep the sea at bay. Recycling at its best!

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hi Annie! That's a truly brilliant use for old Christmas trees - I hadn't heard of it before. But it makes great sense now I think about it! Yes, as you say - that's real recycling!🙂

[@anniemac3075]

@@Gladysthenarrowboat Put 'Christmas trees buried on the beach' in KZbin search, very interesting.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Thanks Annie - I did that and saw the videos - great stuff! I saw in some of the comments that it was done on the Gower way back in the 1970s! Amazing story - thanks for bringing it to my attention! 👍👍

[@anniemac3075]

@@Gladysthenarrowboat Well now I'll have to watch it again as you've spotted something I didn't when I saw it! Have a good week Jeff, see you next weekend.

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Thanks Annie! You have a good week too - I haven't decided where to go/what to video yet for next weekend - and I'm a bit limited to doing it on Tuesday this week (despite poor weather forecast)... but rest assured I'll have something for you next Saturday! 👍😁

[@markrutlidge5427]

I've always wondered what happened to the first six rivers 😂😂😂😂

[@Gladysthenarrowboat]

Hah hah! very good Mark! 😁