Purton boat graveyard history
Just north of Sharpness on the river Severn, lies the ship graveyard at Purton in Gloucestershire. The riverbank collapsed here in 1909, threatening the adjacent Sharpness and Gloucester Canal. To protect the canal, unwanted boats were beached along the river bank at high tide to arrest the erosion. Over the next half century, 86 barges, trows and schooners were run aground along this stretch of river bank at Purton.
Today, most of the wooden hulks have been subsumed into the riverbank. A few remains poke up out of the grass here and there. The sturdier concrete and steel barges can still be seen along the river edge. You have to wonder how long will it be before all traces of these ships have vanished forever.
How to get to Purton boat graveyard
Park your car in the public car park by the Upper Swing Bridge in Purton itself. Walk north west along the canal tow path past the canal-side cottages, after which the path veers away from the canal for a short while. There’s a totem pole here, with a list of the names of the beached boats. The tow path then re-joins the canal, crossing over a spillway where there is a muddy path going off to the right, leading down to the banks of the Severn. This is where you will find the remaining concrete barges. Further along the riverbank are the remnants of the wooden boats. There are information panels that tell you about some of the different boats. Overall, it’s half a mile walk from the car park to the first concrete barges; you cannot miss them!
Purton boat graveyard – the boat wrecks
This is a remote and serenely picturesque part of the river, particularly at the ends of the day. At low water you can still see the wrecks of the two tankers Arkendale H and Wasterdale H out in the middle of the river. In 1960, they collided with the Severn Railway Bridge, exploded, and brought down two bridge spans leading to the ultimate demise of the bridge.
Purton boat graveyard – practicalities
At high water the grassy riverbank can be submerged or at least quite soggy, so choice of footwear is important. Thin deposits of river mud sometimes coat the decks of the concrete barges which can make them very slippery and dangerous to walk on. It’s a glorious location in almost any weather.
For camera lenses, everything from wide angle to telephoto (think wading birds) and macro for the amazing details in those wooden hulks. A tripod is useful too, but in areas the ground is spongy; finding solid ground for tripod legs can be tricky.
I have made countless trips to Purton – it never fails to satisfy.
Mike Hawkridge Photography 
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