Winter Quarters

Built in 1899, in Plymouth, the SHAMROCK is a sailing ketch built for cargo work on the River Tamar and estuaries in the South West of England. 

From 1899 to 1962 she worked as a barge in Plymouth and several Cornish ports.

From 1962 till 1970 she was used as a diving support craft and salvage vessel after which she fell into disrepair.

The National Trust acquired her in 1974 and towed her up the River Tamar to Cotehele Quay for restoration.

When this major project was complete she became the centrepiece of the dsplay here at Cotehele Quay.

In summer she often sails on the river and is sometimes seen in Plymouth at rallies of traditional craft.

Click here to see her fully decked out at a rally in Plymouth

The Shamrock (1)

Way back in March of this year I posted some pictures of the sailing barge Shamrock,

 undergoing a refit at Cothele Quay, her base up the River Tamar, near Calstock.

On Friday she sailed into Plymouth, for this year's Classic Boat Rally and was looking fantastic.

Hooe Lake and The Shamrock

Yesterday's post showed  the restored Tamar Barge, Shamrock, being spruced up for the summer season. She was rescued from total decay and eventual disappearance into the mud by the National Trust in 1974.

She was rediscovered in Hooe Lake, a tidal inlet off the River Plym, in the Plymouth suburb of Plymstock.
Other vessels have been less lucky than Shamrock.
The stock of abandoned craft has clearly had some recent additions.

Plymouth, with its long maritime history, is rich in important marine archaeology, and the University of Plymouth plays an important local, national and international role in research in the field.


This short article by Martin Read from Plymouth University gives an insight into the work he and his students have done at Hooe Lake.

Cothele Quay (3)

I was delighted to see that the regular refit of the famous old Tamar Barge SHAMROCK is going along well and she looks as if she will be once again ready to sail on the river that she was built for.

Built in Plymouth in 1899, SHAMROCK is a sailing ketch built for cargo work on the River Tamar and estuary in South West England. Her construction was of pitch pine and oak.

From 1899 to 1962 she worked as a barge plying her trade though with several changes of ownership. In the late 1930s she moved from Plymouth to the Truro River where she operated in several Cornish ports. In 1962 she was sold as a diving support vessel and later became a salvage vessel between 1966 and 1970 when she fell into disrepair.

The National Trust acquired her in 1974 and she was towed up the River Tamar to Cotehele Quay for restoration. This was a major joint project between the National Trust and the National Maritime Museum. SHAMROCK is the centrepiece of a display at Cotehele from where she makes occasional voyages on the River Tamar.