Image Ref : DRA 3122.tif

Clay barge, Stover Canal, c.1900s

Local clay was brought overland, loaded onto barges and sailed down the canal to the Jetty Marsh sea lock. Three clay barges are shown here, sailing down the Stover Canal, with snow on the ground. Two men are in the first barge and one man running alongside the bank from the second. A railway signal can be seen, centre. The average barge was 14 x 56ft with a load of 30 tons and carried a large square sail like a Viking sail. Images PBS 0010, PBS 0011, PBS 0011f, PBS 0012 and PBS 0013 show the remains of such barges. We acknowledge the details provided by the Inland Waterways Association and the Stover Canal Trust in writing this. DRA 4519 NA 160