Workhorse of the waterways

The first sight of a Thames sailing barge is mesmerising. Her long, low hull is immediately impressive, but the rig catches the eye and leads it towards the sky. Initially, the sails seem enormous, heavy and unwieldy, yet as one watches, the beauty of the vessel begins to fill in, like watercolours being patiently washed on to a preliminary sketch.

Better than almost any other historic artefact, the Thames barge shows how vernacular man perfected the power to work with nature. Restored with assistance from the HeritageLotteryFund,the Cambria isatsea again today – still with no engine. In 1970, under skipper Bob Roberts and his mate Dick Durham, this barge carried the last freight of the old era