A West Country ketch or a Tamar ketch is a two-masted sailing ketch, designed for carrying cargo from the South West England, predominantly from the ports of the River Tamar, to ports on the Celtic Sea, such as Cork.Calstock Online Parish Clerk River Tamar Travel
The West Country ketch is a specialist type of ketch designed for the waters of the Celtic Sea. At the peak of nautical trading within this region there were up to 700 West Country trading ketches active, only three such vessels have survived to the modern day. This type of vessel is characterised by having a length between 100 ft - 120 ft, a depth of 10 ft and a beam of 20 ft. This type of vessel has a wide midship section, with a sharp bow and a rounded stern. These vessels can carry 75 - 100 tons in their holds. Its shape was very well suited to trading in the Celtic Sea.Ships monthly, Volume 17, Issues 10-12. Endlebury Pub. Co., 1982, pp. 21-22
The Tamar ketch is relatively shorter than the West Country ketch. It is not only suited to trading in the Celtic Sea, but also travelling up rivers. They were usually built on the banks of the River Tamar. The only current Tamar ketch is the Garlandstone, built by James Goss, in Calstock.
Surviving West Country ketches Vessel Length Beam Tonnage Builder Date Place Ref Bessie Ellen 115 ft 20 ft 87 William S Kelly 1904 Mount Batten, Devon Westcountry Trading Ketch Bessie Ellen Garlandstone 100 ft 20 ft 76 James Goss 1909 Calstock, Devon Garlandstone Entry in the National Historic Ships UK Irene 118 ft 21 ft 98 J F Carver & Sons 1907 Bridgwater, Somerset Irene Entry in the National Historic Ships UK
Gallery
See also
Tamar Barge
References