Before the Vikings

The Sutton Hoo Ship. History, Egyptian Nile barges, Greek triremes, Roman Galleys, Viking longships. That’s the sequence, right? 8th June 793, Scandinavian pirates sacked the monastery of St. Cuthbert on the island of Lindisfarne. Alcuin, a Northumbrian scholar monk, wrote about it “Never before has such terror been seen in Britain as we have suffered … Read more

The Thames Barge

The Thames Barge, or Spritsail Barge, was an iconic sight on the river Thames and its estuary for well over a hundred years. It is true to say that, before the coming of the railways and the motor vehicle, the Thames Barge was the truck that built London. It had its origins in the fact … Read more

The Plank on Bulkhead Hull.

This is a description and pictures from my build of a model Thames Sailing Barge, also known as a Spritsail Barge. It will concentrate only on the building of the hull, but here, just to show what the finished model looks like. This particular adventure started with a plan from the British “Model Boats” plans … Read more