LL161

Lock Lintel RESTORING AND CONSERVING THE RIVER STOUR NAVIGATION

Issue No 161 Winter 2013/14

IN THIS ISSUE

Griff Rhys Jones launches John Constable The Boy on the Barge Sudbury to the Sea Another Success Early Navigation on the Stour

Contents 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 19

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL RATES

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

Individual or Senior Citizen Couple

£15.00

WELL DONE LOCK LINTEL AND S2C

Couple or Club

£20.00

Senior Citizen

£10.00

Corporate (up to 20 employees)

£40.00

LETTERS - VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR SBOC REPORT & WORK PARTIES

Corporate (more than 21 employees) £100.00

LOWER RIVER GROUP REPORT

Please consider payment by Banker’s Order to remove the need for annual reminders and help us conserve funds.

THE BOY ON THE BARGE NEWS - £40,000 GRANT FOR FLATFORD LOCK SKIPPER APPEAL HITS 50 SARAH DENNEY - A MUCH LOVED RIVER STOUR ENTHUSIAST

You can pay online using a credit/debit card: visit www.riverstourtrust.org Please complete the Gift Aid form (if you are a tax payer) as we are able to reclaim up to 28p from every £1 that is paid at no cost or inconvenience to you.

GRIFF RHYS JONES LAUNCHES JOHN CONSTABLE THE HISTORY OF NAVIGATION ON THE STOUR SUDBURY TO THE SEA - A FIRST-TIMER’S VIEW

For more details: membership@riverstourtrust.org

DIARY DATES FOR 2014 SALES - BOOKS, DVDS, RST CAPS & SWEATERS

THE RIVER STOUR TRUST Registered Office: The Granary • Quay Lane • Sudbury • Suffolk • CO10 2AN Administrative Office: Visitor Education Centre (VEC) Dove House Meadow • Great Cornard • Sudbury • Suffolk • CO10 0GF Tel: 01787 313199 Tel/Fax: 01787 313100 • email: administrator@riverstourtrust.org • www.riverstourtrust.org www.facebook.com/RiverStourTrust

@RiverStourTrust

RESTORING AND CONSERVING THE RIVER STOUR NAVIGATION Registered Charity No: 257806 A non-profit making distributing company limited by guarantee No: 938670 Patron: Sir Jocelyn Stevens CVO

Vice Presidents: Mr Emrhys Barrell; Mr William Frecknall; Mr Peter Hesketh; Lord Andrew Phillips of Sudbury; Mr David Rayner; Mr Griff Rhys Jones; Mr David Stevenson

Council Members: Emrhys Barrell; Roger Brown; Gareth Cole; Brian Cornell; Mike Finch; Jim Lunn; James Parkinson; Jane Rogers; Andrew Richardson

Editorial Team: Catherine Burrows, Emrhys Barrell, Sue Brown, Jane Rogers Contributors: Andrew Richardson, Robert Stoneham, Wendy Gee, Graham Bird, Paul & Gill Sanderson, Shooter Family, Keith & Diana McLusky, Jim Lunn, Dorothy Howe, Gordon Denney, Helen Richardson, Jeff Burroughs.

Lock Lintel is published by The River Stour Trust. © The River Stour Trust 2014 The views expressed in Lock Lintel are not necessarily shared by the Editor or the Council of the River Stour Trust.

Tel: 01787 313199 editor@riverstourtrust.org www.riverstourtrust.org Copy Deadlines: Summer Edition 1st July. Winter Edition 1st November

Front Cover: Griff Rhys Jones at the launch of the lighter John Constable. Photo by: Linda Barrell Back Cover: Canoes at rest on the Saturday evening of S2C at Rushbanks Campsite, Wissington. Photo by: Gary Butcher Paddlers crowd Cornard Lock. Photo by: Emrhys Barrell

Designer: Joanne Steward Production: Peter Evans Ltd - Tel: 01473 686611 Printed by: The Lavenham Press - Tel: 01787 247436

Chairman’s Message Record Boat Operations Income I cannot believe another season has drawn to a close, this year seems to have flown by. The fine summer and mild early autumn means that our boats have continued to be busy.

The Sudbury Boat Operations had easily beaten last year’s takings by the end of the year, while the Lower River Group were close to matching last year’s total. That this has been achieved despite a number of difficulties and changes is even more remarkable.

Boat operations on the lower river have been hampered by the fact that both Dedham and Flatford locks have not been available for use because of the conditions of the lock gates.

This has put considerable pressure on the already busy Dedham crews, but by making the best use of the boats that we now have available to us, we were able to maintain Lower River Group passenger numbers and revenues for the year, and in fact improve on them, while Sudbury revenues were up by a magnificent 30% over the previous year. In part this has been because we have been making more use of the boats as part of Wedding packages, but we are also grateful to the Sudbury team for coping with the extra workload.

In order to operate above Dedham lock we were forced to relocate one of the boats from Sudbury to the Talbooth Inn. This was a very difficult decision, because it left Sudbury boats short of a trip boat for Sunday afternoons and it put further pressure on our busy Dedham crews. However we felt that the opportunity to continue wedding charters and place a second craft on the lower stretch was worth taking.

We had hoped that the newly-restored lighter John Constable would have been able to replace the lost boat at Sudbury but a number of technical issues resulted in delays to training new crews. I am pleased to say that after a great deal of hard work by Brian Cornell, Mike Finch and Jim Lunn these issues have been resolved and we’ve been able to train additional crew ahead of the 2014 season. Before the next season we will review our boat operations and I would welcome any comments or thoughts. We have plans to purchase an extra all-weather launch for Sudbury, which will increase our capacity and flexibility.

Flatford & Dedham Locks Restoration As you may be aware we have agreed in principal to part fund the restoration of both Flatford and Dedham locks, principally renewing the gates. Council felt that this partnership approach was the most pragmatic way of getting large projects completed on the Stour when EA funding is tight. Part of this process has involved us in meetings with the residents at Dedham Mill who own the land surrounding the lock. Both sides were delighted to discover a lot of common concerns around the navigation and flood defence management of the island, and are moving forward with the EA to resolve the issues. This demonstrates the power of talking to people and we both appreciate and respect each other’s views and look forward to working together.

Flatford Lock and the surrounding land is owned by the Trust, and thanks to some magnificent efforts by our Treasurer Gareth Cole, he has been able to win grants worth £40,000 from Environmental Group Veolia from their Landfill Tax Allocation. This will enable us to get at least one lock completed in 2014.

Granary Bookings continue to rise Our new partnership agreement for catering and bar services at the Granary has been a great success, and the tearoom continues to be popular with Sunday visitors. Bookings for the Granary have increased again this year, and the revenue they generate is making a significant contribution towards the Trust’s running costs, enabling us to continue to maintain and restore the navigation on the river. Weddings and receptions are making up the majority of the bookings, and not only do they raise money, but they introduce hundreds of new people to the Trust and the river. We are grateful to Catherine and her team for all their work here.

Footpath link to Great Cornard The long awaited footpath link to our Visitor Education Centre has taken another step forwards and we are hopeful that it will be completed early next year so that we can better attract visitors to Cornard Lock. We are looking at options including weekend opening during the season.

Sudbury to the Sea another success Our events continue to do well particularly our flagship event Sudbury to the Sea which was again over-subscribed this year. To me that shows just how popular rivers can be when access to them is encouraged rather than discouraged. We managed to attract good publicity around S2C including repeating our call for better access to all rivers in the UK, where over 90% of inland rivers have no right of use for boats. John Morris has announced he will be standing down as organiser, but Andrew Sheldon has agreed to take up the reins, and he needs help from as many volunteers as possible, so sign up even if you can only offer a couple of hours on the weekend.

Not so popular apparently was the ‘Chairman’s cruise’ with only three people turning up, an increase on last year’s one person. This strikes me as odd as this member’s only event is all about celebrating our right to navigate the Stour, a right that was fought for and hard won by the Trust, yet our members seem unwilling to exercise this privilege. How would we feel if we lost it I wonder? Sadly it will now drop from the calendar.

I’m pleased to say that the Trust remains a happy and healthy place, this is in no small part due to you the members, our Council, and our excellent Administrator Catherine. I am continually in awe of all of you and would like to say a big thank you.

Can’t wait for the coming year!

ANDREW RICHARDSON Chairman of the Trustees

www.riverstourtrust.org 3

Welcome to new members Mr Bernard Lane Mr Michael Hambling Mr Anthony Shephard Mr Frederick Halford-Smith Mr Bill Andrade Mr & Mrs Trevor and Mary Dodwell Mr & Mrs Simon and Katherine Pierson Mr Trevor Pickerin Mr Sean Adams Mr Adam Johnston and Ms Vicky Haywood Mr & Mrs Keith and Diana McLusky Mr & Mrs Simon and Harriet Romer-Lee Mr & Mrs Dereck and Ann Brignull Mrs Rita Lindsell Mr Keith Pierson and Ms Martina Orsolyak Mr Stephen Presnell Mr Ronald O'Hare Mr John Sibley Mr Howard Cracknell Mr & Mrs Bob and Janet Foster Mr Michael Drury Mr Peter Moore Mr Stephen Beadle Mr Thom Copping Mr Ben Gilligan Edward Gittins and Associates Mrs Anita Simmonds Mr & Mrs Michael and Isobel Sullivan Mr David Buthcer and Mrs Christine Gilbert

THANKS TO THE S2C TEAM Hi, I just want to say a big Thank you to all the helpers and organisers of the trip.

We enjoyed it immensely even if we were rather stiff afterwards, I'll try to persuade brother Dave to do it again next year but it all depends how we are.

I must mention that the hot chocolate at the end of the second day was a godsend as I don't drink tea or coffee and really felt the need for something hot.

The trip for us is made by the kindness and understanding of all the other competitors who let us go to the head of the queues, we are really

4

New Member Profile

BY ROBERT STONEHAM

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? By pure chance my wife and I were passing Cornard and we saw a boat in the lock. I had a chat with the crew and they explained that they were undergoing training and told us something about the Trust. I subsequently joined hoping I could be useful.

WHY DID YOU JOIN? In fact, I did nothing until the Lock Lintel arrived early this year and one article suggested crew were needed. I was fortunate to be included in a training programme run by George Whybrow and Keith Robertson. Thanks to their expertise and patient guidance, I was able to qualify as crew and subsequently skipper. Also, I was lucky to be included in the Lighter training programme run by Jim Lunn, Mike Finch and Brian Cornell and again thanks to their skill and patience, I have recently qualified as skipper on John Constable.

WHAT ARE YOU ENJOYING ABOUT BEING A MEMBER? I have been “messing about in boats” for many years including dinghy and yacht sailing and small power craft and now with a bit more time on my hands, I feel privileged to be able to help in a small way, particularly for such a worthwhile cause. I am enjoying meeting members and passengers and throughout my short involvement, I have been very impressed by the enthusiasm, professionalism and efficiency of the Trust members.

fast at getting out and putting back in, as that makes such a difference to us, as waiting for up to an hour at some portages would make it impossible to finish in the daylight especially on the second day. I know they all look forward to passing us again as it's always fun to see idiots doing something that's hard work isn't it, and we enjoy the friendly banter and explaining about coracles and us being mad.

I think we're the only nut−cases to do the S2C more than once and I hope we can continue to do it a bit longer but at 75 for Dave and 70 for me we'll have to wait and see, but I in particular like growing old disgracefully − it's fun.

Many thanks again.

Wendy Gee

The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

WELL DONE LOCK LINTEL Dear Editors I don't have a specific interest in the River Stour, but out of curiosity I picked up the August 2012 issue of 'Lock Lintel' at the recent IWA Waterways Festival at Watford.

I am very impressed! I think your journal is a model of its kind, being interesting, helpful, well written, well illustrated and beautifully produced. If only one could say the same of every locally-produced journal, whether in the field of waterways or otherwise!

May I wish you every success with future issues of Lock Lintel, and with your ongoing work on the Stour.

Best wishes Graham Bird London W4 From The Editorial Team: Thanks for the kind words, but we now have to apologise for the late production of this issue.

We have been working on a new A4 size for the magazine, which we hope you all like.

Boating visitors from afar...

We are lucky enough to welcome aboard a variety of nationalities for trips aboard our boats at Sudbury, Flatford and Dedham.

25th May 2013 - Members of the Shooter family from Australia, Max (dad), Brenda (mum) and Peter (son) had their boat trip organised by their daughter/sister, Edwina who said “I know my parents in particular are really looking forward to this river trip and going through the lock. Fingers crossed for good weather.” It was fair weather (by British standards!) and we understand that a good time was had by all.

Thank you of course to your two volunteers. Pam Johnson and Sue Brown, who took care of us. They even managed to give us the exciting sight of a kingfisher!

Thank you again and we look forward to the various Lock Lintel magazines as they arrive throughout the year and a future visit to the Stour Valley.

6th September 2013 – Keith and Diana McLusky from Kentucky arranged a trip to the UK to include a catch up with old school friends. They had heard about the River Stour Trust from relatives in Sudbury and decided to join as members to support our activities. This led to the boat trip being arranged to coincide with their visit to the UK. Marian, Diana, Daphne and Brenda all attended Britannia Road Primary School in Ipswich from the age of 5 years old in 1944 whilst Janet attended Sidegate Lane Primary school.

We all went on to Northgate Grammar School in Sidegate Lane Ipswich and then went our separate ways. Despite moving house several times at home and abroad we have all managed to keep in touch with each other over the 69 years that we have known each other.

We had a really enjoyable time on the river and at The Henny Swan. We had plenty of laughs reminiscing about days gone by and catching up with more recent events in our lives.

www.riverstourtrust.org 5

SBOC Report We had a mixed summer last year, and basic training has been sparse due to very few new volunteers. But training for John Constable has been very progressive following a few false starts and we now have two skippers and two crew members. We hope to have new controls built for us by the time you read this - Ian has a new magic wand and is working his enchantment.

It is a good start and bodes well for the 2014 season if we can attract the necessary new volunteers.

One of our steadfast supporters John Mills has had to stand back from committee and we all thank John for his efforts in the past and hope that he will be returning to the fold at some time (John is still helping with work parties). Not too much to report from meetings as most of the SBOC work is done on the run as we bump into each other. A big drive for new volunteers (TV, radio and press) is underway as I write and the early response looks good and JC is the big attraction.

FIRST AID - if you are due or wish to participate please email jimlunn@live.co.uk . If you are interested in SBOC please email me. I am due to stand down as Chairman if it is your wish.

Sudbury work parties Sudbury work party volunteers have been relentlessly labouring away this summer and have completed restoration of the lower jetty at the VEC (known as duck poo jetty due to its popularity with wild fowl). They also stabilised the veranda, which has been subsiding over the years, and improved the landing stage at the Henny Swan to cater for John Constable. We have lost numerous trees from the VEC due to Ash and Willow die-back and this was compounded by the violent storms in early November when we lost a further three trees. The bulk of the work was performed by contractors but the resulting clean-up was carried out by our redoubtable and steadfast work party - congratulations and much thanks to all. Now the view over the Essex side of the valley is somewhat different but fresh to feast your eyes on.

The next big project is the extension to the upper jetty in the mill stream, for which oak posts are to hand, this will be followed by the replacement of the downstream lintel beam on the lock and then dredging of the mill stream if time allows. Let’s hope that the weather is better than forecast.

JIM LUNN

6

Top: One of the first charter parties on John Constable Middle: John Constable waits at the new mooring at the Henny Swan Bottom: Levelling up the veranda at the VEC. One of many vital jobs carried out by our work parties

ADVERTISING RATES (EX VAT) Quarter Page £40 Half Page £70 Full Page £90

The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

Lower River Group report

2013 was a difficult season as the majority of the members of the Lower River Group Committee have had health problems either personally or with members of their families, which has meant that we have not been able to devote the time to progressing training and other projects.

Geoff Empson has been unable to skipper Trusty all year, and Mick Rogers is now recovering from his recent operation.

We are extremely grateful to all our volunteers for the time and effort they have contributed and the support they have given us to cover the rosters and keep Trusty running.

Aldeburgh Music, to help celebrate Benjamin Britten’s centenary. On 12th June and 22nd August their members came to Flatford by coach and were divided into three groups. Each group in turn took a boat trip to Dedham and back, went on the National Trust guided tour including the Field Studies Centre, and visited the RSPB wild-life gardens and surrounding points of interest. Both days were very successful and demonstrated the excellent working relationship we have with our neighbours at Flatford.

Working in partnership with everyone involved, the Dedham Vale AONB Project have done a survey of the signage to Flatford with the aim of rationalising it to enable visitors to find their way more easily, which has been a criticism up to now.

Again we would like to thank Mr and Mrs Marshall, who own the Boathouse Restaurant at Dedham and their staff for the valuable help and support they give us to enable us to run our boat trips. Fortunately we have been able to recruit a number of new volunteers who all show very good potential and will be an asset to our operation. With more skippers available to us we look forward to another successful season next year.

DOROTHY HOWE Secretary, Lower River Group

As usual the weather played a major part in affecting our season. Easter was early and the weather was poor, but better conditions on both Bank Holiday weekends in May brought many visitors to Flatford and Dedham and these two weekends were exceptionally profitable. After a poor June and an average July the good weather brought high numbers of visitors and our takings for August were the best ever for any month.

With Flatford and Dedham locks out of commission we have run fewer charters with Trusty this year. However we had been approached by Kat Reading, of the Friends of

www.riverstourtrust.org 7

The boy on the barge One of the iconic images of the River Stour is the photograph taken in 1923 of a boy standing on one of the 14 barges that had been sunk in Ballingdon or Allen’s Cut in 1914 to prevent them being used by an invading enemy.

It was one of these lighters, belonging to the River Stour Navigation Company fleet that was later recovered by the newly-formed River Stour Trust in the 1970s, and partially restored, before being finally completely restored last year, to become our own John Constable that we celebrate in this issue.

The photograph adorned the walls of the Granary for many years, but the identity of the boy was unknown. Then in 2013 we were amazed to receive a painting of the photograph, signed on the back by the artist, who it turned out, was the boy himself, Edward Arthur Essex, in his Sudbury Grammar School uniform, standing on one of the barges in 1923.

The painting had been given to Sudbury Grammar School Old Boy’s Association by the Essex family, and they in turn donated it to the Trust. On the back it has the artist’s title for the work “A Stour Memory 1923” and his hand-written notes describing the background to how the barges and lighters came to be there.

Arthur Essex studied at Sudbury Grammar School from 1921 to 1924. Later he became a prominent figure in Sudbury, running a printing business and becoming first a Councillor, then Mayor of the Borough of Sudbury (later to be titled Town Mayor) in 1956 and 1957.

He chaired the Gainsborough's House National Appeal Committee which was formed in October 1956 to raise the required funds to purchase Thomas Gainsborough's birthplace. The House was purchased on 20 January 1958 for £5,250 and the museum was formally opened on 12 April 1961. There is an Arthur Essex Room with paintings on display from Gainsborough's late career.

We are sure Arthur Essex would have been delighted to see one of the lighters that he stood on restored to its former glory.

8

THE COMING OF THE RAILWAY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY BROUGHT ABOUT THE DECLINE OF THE BARGE TRAFFIC ON THE RIVER STOUR WHICH HAD FLOURISHED FOR A TIME CONVEYING THE PRODUCE OF THE AREA, THROUGH DEDHAM, TO THE STOUR ESTUARY. AT THE END OF WORLD WAR I, SIX BARGES AND LIGHTERS WERE TO BE SEEN LAID UP AND PARTLY SUBMERGED IN THE CUT LEADING TO BALLINGDON GROVE BRICKWORKS AND UNDER THE MIDDLETON ROAD TO THE MINERAL WORKS BEYOND. (THE BOY - ARTHUR ESSEX)

The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

News A good year for Publicity for the Trust This year we continued to attract excellent publicity for the Trust and our events in the local and national media. The local and regional newspapers now cover all the stories we send them, plus local community magazines, and interviews on local radio and TV. Our news and events are also being covered in the national boating magazines, a sure sign that we are on the move. Having a high-profile supporter in Griff Rhys Jones is a great help, but if we were not doing exciting things, then we would not get the coverage.

CRAFT REGISTRATION The Trust can now issue craft registrations for unpowered craft on behalf of the Environment Agency. You can buy a Short-Term or Annual Licence, which then covers your craft for all EA waterways in the UK 2014-15 Tariff – Unpowered Craft. 1st April – 31st March • £8.50 – Up to 7 consecutive days • £16.00 – Up to 31 consecutive days • £35.00 – Annual Registration (excluding houseboats and sailing boats) Please contact the River Stour Trust Office or visit our website to obtain your craft registration.

EA retains control of the Stour Trust gets grant to restore Flatford Lock Flatford and Dedham Locks have been out of use for the past year because of the poor condition of their gates.

Now, thanks to a grant from environmental group Veolia, work can be carried out this year to replace the Flatford gates, with work at Dedham starting after this.

The £40,000 grant comes from the Landfill Communities Fund, and is part of £2.5m awarded to community and environmental projects across the UK. Companies such as Veolia pay Landfill Tax every time they send waste to a landfill site. This tax can be re-distributed to environmental projects if they meet certain criteria, and restoring the Stour Locks to full operational and navigational use was seen as meeting the requirements.

Applying for the grant was a lengthy and complex process, undertaken for us by our Treasurer, but the successful outcome means we can begin to get these vital locks back in use.

SARAH DENNEY 16-08-1957 to 11-06-2013 Sarah who lost her battle against cancer in June paddled virtually every inch of the river in the years that she was a RST member. She loved its peacefulness, tranquillity, beauty and its abundance of nature and could not wait to get in her kayak and start taking pictures.

In July 2013 the Environment Minister Richard Benyon announced the Environment Agency is to retain control of the River Stour and the rest of its river navigations in the UK for at least the next 3 years.

It had been hoped that following the formation of the new Canal & River Trust in 2012, which took over the rivers and canals formerly controlled by British Waterways, that in 2015 the EA waterways would also become part of the CRT. However in the present economic climate, with Defra’s budget being slashed, it was deemed unlikely that the funds necessary to facilitate the transfer could be found.

This is disappointing all round, as the EA have made it clear they have no funds available to preserve navigation on the Stour. It had been hoped that if our river became part of the CRT we would be able move forward on a structured basis, with sensible funding, as part of a national waterways network.

Appeal for skippers hits the mark For the Trust to make best use of our trip boats we need as large a pool of skippers and crew members as possible.

Over the past three months we have had a press campaign in the local and national media inviting people to join the team, and the response has been remarkable. To date we have had over 50 enquiries from potential candidates, and we will be setting up an open day, to give them an idea of what is involved. From then on those that like what we do will join our existing Training Scheme, to bring them up to the required standard.

Many thanks to Jeff Burroughs for the photo of Sarah and myself taken on Flatford Mill Pond.

GORDON DENNEY

The Trust’s new electric launch will be going into service this season

www.riverstourtrust.org 9

Griff Rhys Jones launches When our Vice-President Griff Rhys Jones launched the passenger services on John Constable, on the 12th May 2013, it was the culmination of many years hard work by Trust volunteers.

It was back in the 1970s that the thirteen sunken lighters were re-discovered in Ballingdon Cut by members of the Trust, and the decision was taken to try and restore one of them.

The barges had been scuttled on the orders of the Admiralty in 1914, to prevent them being used by invading German forces. They were the last vessels of the River Stour Navigation Company fleet, and had by then virtually ceased commercial carrying. Most of the craft would have been built at the boatyard opposite, at the end of Gasworks Cut, but some of them could have been made in the dry-dock at Flatford.

The photograph taken of the boats in the 1920s, described on Page 8 of this Issue, shows some vessels with crew cabins, but ours was a standard two-hold design.

It was taken by the Trust members and enough of the rotten planks were replaced to enable it to float again. It was then used for passenger trips for several years, towed by Francis Batten’s horse Snowy, but eventually it was leaking too much, and was laid to rest again in the mud next to Cornard Lock, to preserve it till proper funds could be raised.

This was achieved in 2010, when the Managing a Masterpiece Project of the Dedham Vale AONB made a grant of ÂŁ120,000 for the boat to be fully restored by the

10 The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

passenger services on John Constable Pioneer Sailing Trust at Brightlingsea. The finished boat, powered by a pair of electric motors was launched in September 2012, but the first passenger services were inaugurated by Griff on a sunny Sunday in May.

Griff then took the first trip on John Constable, crewed by one of its regular teams, Brian Cornell, Jim Lunn and Mike Finch, and took the wheel for the run down to Cornard.

The boat then took out other parties from the guests present.

A large audience of invited guests and members were present for the ceremony. These included councillors and former Mayors of Sudbury Town Council, Babergh Council and Suffolk County Councillors, our local MEP Geoffrey Van Orden and representatives of local and national press.

The event was widely reported in the local press with extensive coverage and full-page articles in papers such as The East Anglian Daily Times, Sudbury Mercury, and Suffolk Free Press. It also appeared in national magazines such as Waterways World.

In his speech Griff described his love of all rivers, but especially the Stour, which he lives beside. But he also pointed out that over 90% of the rivers in the UK cannot be accessed, even by canoes. Many are privately owned, but many could be used if the restrictions on them were challenged. But this needs money, and political will, which are both in short supply at the moment. However the efforts of groups like the Trust continue to raise awareness of these waterways, and ensure that those that have a right of navigation can be used by everyone.

Clockwise from left: Griff unfurls the ensign of the National Historic Ships Register, to which the lighter belongs.

First trip, showing the twin electric drives.

Geoffrey Van Orden, MEP for The East of England.

Trust members and invited guests at the launch at the Granary.

Griff takes the helm under the watchful eye of Brian Cornell.

Griff spoke passionately about the lack of access to all rivers in Great Britain.

The ship’s bell and helm position Photos by Emrhys & Linda Barrell

www.riverstourtrust.org 11

The History of Navigation on the Stour How long has man used the Stour for transport and travel? Jim Lunn trawls the Trust archives for some answers A single gate Flash or Staunch on the upper Thames, similar to those that would have been used on the Stour

It is conceded that river travel was, by accident or intention the first of man’s attempts to get from A to B with a reduction in his or her workload. Without hesitation most historians will agree that the Stour, along with most if not all of the rivers of East Anglia were in use for primitive water transport from the Middle Stone Age onwards but little evidence can be found to support this prehistoric navigation.

By the time that the Romans arrived they had developed a technique for navigating the shallow rivers of Europe, and the lowland rivers of the east of England presented no problem to them. Travelling upriver was achieved by staunching, that is to say if the vessel ran aground in a shallow part of the river, the crew set to work fabricating a temporary dam or staunch. This was constructed from a number of timbers driven into the river bed, downstream of the boat, then leather hides were stretched from bank to bank raising the water level until the boat was able to continue its passage up river. Retrieving the staunch fell to the lowest crew members who hurried after the boat with the heavy poles and hides.

Supporting evidence for navigation of the Stour exists in the form of the remains of a loading dock at The Croft, Ballingdon, and further upriver at Long Melford was a similar structure.

Downriver passage was achieved by running downstream until an obstruction was encountered but this time the staunch was placed upstream of the boat, penning back the water. As this water was released the boat was lifted and carried forward on the flood or flash. This carried

the vessel downriver and the technique later in time gave rise to the term ‘flash lock’.

This arrangement was satisfactory for navigation in the pre and early Saxon period, but when mills and mill ponds began to be constructed it became necessary to build more permanent staunches of the ‘paddle and rymer’ type at the mill sites and this worked well whilst the mill wheels were small, side or horizontal types. Early locks were designed with a single gate, known as a flash lock or staunch lock.

The earliest European references to what were clearly flash locks were in Roman times.

Enter William Duke of Normandy, 1066 and all that.

Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex were at the time the most productive part of England. The Domesday book is in two parts and the tome dedicated to just East Anglia was almost as big (referred to as Little Domesday) as the book for the whole of the rest of England, such was the productivity and prosperity of our area.

The Normans made extensive use of the Stour to transport stone from William’s native city of Caen in Normandy (pronounced Karn) to build churches in the Stour and Brett valleys, in particular the church at Clare. This stone was also used for the White Tower at the Tower of London. In fact it may be the case that without the wealth of our area he may not have bothered to invade and do battle with King Harold.

England was divided between his followers in parcels of land to the ratio of approximately five in other counties to

Stour, Stoor or Stower - the name is believed to be of Celtic origin but it was used by the Anglo Saxons and denoted a strong or mighty river.

12 The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

Paddles and rymers still in use on the Thames at Goring

A capstan on the bank of the Thames at Medmenham that would have been used to haul barges upstream through the adjacent Hurley flash-lock against the flow when the gate was opened

one in East Anglia reflecting the high value of rents and productivity. A mill at Brundon just up river from Sudbury is mentioned in the Little Domesday book.

And in keeping with my soapbox rant on protecting the Stour, have you had a chance to see the new pumping station at Wormingford?

Normans and Saxons lived in an uneasy peace for the next 300 years until most forgot whether they were one or the other. The river served during this period and for a further 250 years or so. Magna Carta stated that “All free men may use all rivers without let or hindrance.�

Despite putting extra pressure on the river I must say that the designers of the building have made a good job of merging it into the agricultural landscape. At first sight it appears to be a traditional barn and fits in well.

The inclusion of stanch locks in the early River Stour Navigation 1705 Act suggests that serviceable structures were in use prior to the act authorising improvements.

In the next issue I will look more closely into the formation of the present Navigation in the 1705 Act.

But this all changed with the Enclosures Act of 1773, and rivers became property. This act put all land grabs by the rich and powerful into a legally binding format resulting in the exclusion of commoners from historic grazing and rights of way. However the common land of Sudbury survived due to Royal protection imbedded in letters patent granted by the Crown.

The following was penned in 1580 by John Taylor, a Thames Waterman, with reference to obstruction of the Thames, but is just as relevant to the Essex and Suffolk Stour in the same era,

Shall private persons for their gain full use?

Engross the water and the land abuse, Shall that which God and nature gives us free, For use and profit in community, Be barred from men and dammed up as in Thames, (A shameless avarice surpassing shames ;)

The historic Act of Parliament of 1705 that enshrined the Right of Navigation on the Stour from Sudbury to Manningtree, and remains in force today

www.riverstourtrust.org 13

Sudbury to the Sea - A first-timer’s view Emrhys Barrell describes how his first S2C brought him closer to the river than he was expecting.

I have always wanted to paddle Sudbury to the Sea, but the dates always clashed with the Southampton Boat Show, which unfortunately is work for me. I have wanted to see the parts of the river that can only be reached by water, places such as Langham Flumes and Wormingford Mill, that I hear everyone talking about, but can never join in discussing.

But this year the show started a week later, so my chance had come. The first problem was finding someone to do it with. A friend had a canoe, and was keen to take part, but at the last minute he injured his leg. Then a chance conversation with Peter Evans changed my life!

If you don’t know Peter, his studio designs this magazine Lock Lintel for us, but he is a lifetime River Stour enthusiast, and top-class canoeist in his own right. By his own admission he has probably paddled the river over a hundred times, in every season, and with every level of crew, from friends and family, up to Griff Rhys Jones for his TV series on Rivers.

He says he prefers the winter, as there are no leaves on the trees to block the views, and the only sound is the crackling of a thin layer of ice on the water! He is also happiest when he doesn’t have to share the tranquility with other people, so he rarely does S2C, but for me he was prepared to make an exception.

The question he asked was which boat I wanted to do it in.

He could offer me a simple plastic Canadian canoe, tough but heavy, or a faster plastic canoe, or the ultimate, his Kevlar Wenonah. The difference between these was weight, speed, and cost - the price tags ranging from £400 to £2000. In the end he opted for the Wenonah, but with the warning that we would be carrying it round any obstructions that might put the slightest scratch on its mirror-finish hull.

Every scratch knocking seconds of its top speed.

14 The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

And so it was I arrived at the Granary on the first Saturday morning. I had always realised that organising S2C was a major logistical exercise, but even so I was not prepared for the sight of 300 crews, their cars, canoes and supporters all crammed into the Granary car park. Queuing for registration looked like it was going to be a nightmare, till I found there were four queues, with alphabetical flags to speed the process. At the head of mine was the cheerful smiling face of Catherine, looking like this was her first event, not the tenth.

Peter arrived shortly after, with our red racing machine on the roof of his car. We waited in line to launch then were quickly away, with me in the bow, and Peter in control in the stern. The paddle he handed me looked distinctly home-made, with the blade not even in line with the handle.

And Peter did not make much of it – it was just that as we rounded every bend he would say “This one of my favourite stretches – you will appreciate it so much better without other boats spoiling the view” And I would feel a thrust in my back as he dug in and we cruised past the splashing crews in front.

Occasionally some would-be challengers would take us on.

You could hear them coming up behind even though you couldn’t turn round to see. They would be talking to each other extra loud and knowledgeably – “ I couldn’t decide whether to bring the K1 or the K2 this year. Or the all-alloy Whitewater Special” Gradually the voices would fade away, as they put all their effort into trying to keep up with us, then stop altogether as they fell one bend behind.

“Anyone can paddle a canoe to its top speed for a short burst” said Peter “But it’s how long you can keep it up that counts” And more than one crew, in sleek racing kayaks, would admiringly admit that this was the first time they had been passed by a Canadian canoe.

I just kept quiet, and tried to make it look as if I was contributing something to our progress, while all the time taking in the wonderful views of the rivers.

‘Don’t scratch it” he said, “It’s carbon-fibre, and costs £150.

The blade angle gives extra grip and speed” So much for my knowledge. “If you drop it, at all costs don’t grab for it or you will tip us over. It floats and I will pick it up as it drifts by.”

I quickly fell into the rhythm of paddling. I was aware that my seriously unfit body was not contributing much to our progress, because every fourth stroke Peter had to change sides to keep us straight, but I was enjoying it, and we still seemed to be steadily overhauling everything in front of us.

There was nothing hurried about this passing process – it just seemed to happen, and we kept well clear of the other boats, but I quickly realised that in canoeing terms this was the equivalent of joining Lewis Hamilton for the school run in his F1 Mercedes.

www.riverstourtrust.org 15

Over the weekend we passed just about every type of human-powered craft. There were lots of Canadian canoes, some with whole families in them. Alongside these were single canoes, inflatable canoes, folding canoes, even standup surfboards, battling against the headwinds. And of course there were Wendy Gee and Dave Nicoll in their coracles.

These have taken part in nearly every S2C for the past 12 years, coming back every time because the love it so much, though even they admit that at 70+ years old, this might be their last time!

make it an eel-pass. This is fine in theory, and might help the occasional eel, though I didn’t spot any, and presumably they have found other routes over the past 300 years, but in practice it makes the portage impassable. Luckily help was on hand in the form of James Parkinson and Roger Brown, up to their knees in the water, who guided our canoe down, while the crew walked around the bridge. Just another example of the unsung heroes who make S2C the success that it is.

We carried our canoe round the weirs, which is the approved technique. Not only is it the only safe way, it avoids scratching the bottom. And as Peter pointed out, it avoids the embarrassment of getting stranded half way over, then capsizing.

The lunchtime stop at Bures provided a welcome break, with burgers and hot tea laid on by the Scouts, and the chance to compare notes with fellow competitors. Then it was on to the first major portage, at Bures Mill.

Here you have to lift the canoe up a steep bank, carry it along, then down a bank into what used to be a dried up stream bed that was only wet in winter floods. As you then had to manoeuvre under a very low bridge, it was helpful that you were just dragging the canoe behind you down the grass. However in the past year, the Environment Agency in its wisdom has decided to lower the upstream bank and turn the dried-up path into a full-flowing stream all year round, to

At Wormingford the portage round the weir crosses a private garden. I had heard dire stories of unhelpful land-owners, so was taken aback to be greeted by the welcoming sight of Sophie Langran sitting behind a table crammed with refreshments, including weight-inducing cakes. Again there were S2C stewards at the lift-out point, and along the path, making sure no-one strayed off line.

Below Wormingford we were suddenly greeted by a pack of baying otter hounds splashing along the river’s edge, with a master in hunting uniform up on the bank. The group of followers were surprised to find they had an audience for their afternoon entertainment, and hurriedly muttered something about mink hunting. Maybe it was, but not very healthy for any other small ducks or mammals at the water’s edge.

Then it was on through the afternoon to the overnight stop at the Rushbanks Campsite at Wissington. Here we were greeted by the smiling face of Sue Brown as we were checked in.

16 The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

“Gosh” she said “You are the cleanest crew that have arrived. Everyone else is covered in mud and grass, but you two look like you have just walked out of the house.”

Oh what fateful words!

DAY 2 DUCKWEED DAY The next morning we were up and ready to go, with the sun breaking through, and a magic mist over the water. Peter wanted to get home to meet some people that afternoon, so we pressed on, once again passing the crews that had launched ahead of us.

As we approached Nayland, he explained that the river was carried under the main road in a corrugated iron tunnel, and I decided that this was worth a picture, so put my paddle down to get my phone out to take a shot. As I raised my arms, the paddle slipped overboard, and without thinking I grabbed at it as it slipped past, and then Whoosh!

Everything went green and cold.

When I surfaced I found myself treading water in the mud, with the canoe upside down alongside me, and a grim looking Peter at the other end, not enjoying his early bath.

It was clear that he didn’t often find himself in the water, and never in front of a dozen crews that we had just overtaken.

I had chosen the narrowest, fastest-flowing stretch of the river to perform my Eskimo roll, and we struggled to a wider stretch with a bank shallow enough that we could pull the canoe out and empty it. As I sheepishly wiped the duckweed from my glasses I realised that apologies were pointless. At least I hadn’t lost them, unlike the last time I went swimming in the Stour, but once again my long-suffering phone was full of water.

We paddled past the trim cottage gardens of Nayland, and reached the horse-shoe weir. This is one of the most spectacular features of the river, but as we carried the canoe past it the view was lost on me as we sploshed down the tow-path. Our back-up crew were suitably unimpressed, and once they had stopped laughing, managed to take a picture for the album, with my duckweed tide-mark.

Luckily my skipper did not appear to hold a grudge, and my spirits started to rise again as having passed the Anchor, we reached what was to me one of the most magic stretches of the river. The stream suddenly narrowed between tall grasses, and then shallowed to only a few inches deep. We had to get out and half carry, half float the canoe over a shingle bottom for the next hundred yards or so, all the time wondering how laden barges managed this a hundred years ago.

From then on we were in real African Queen territory, with 6ft high reeds, and passages only as wide as the canoe.

I kept checking for leeches, but fortunately they didn’t fancy my damp, bony legs.

www.riverstourtrust.org 17

Boxted Mill is another portage across a private garden, and here the lift-out was tight and difficult, and a queue of boats built up waiting their turn. Fortunately the sun was out by then, and everyone waited in good spirits. Again there were stewards and striped-tape to keep everyone to the path. The off-putting signs stating that Portage is by Permission Only, are not strictly correct, as every boat that has paid its licence for the river is permitted to use it, and not just for this one occasion each year, something many of the S2C entrants round us were surprised to hear.

Then round the corner came another of the remarkable hidden gems of the Stour, Langham Flumes. Set in a deep valley, more reminiscent of the Welsh hills, the river is channeled down two concrete troughs, with rocky rapids at the end. Again the Wenonah was carried in state round this obstruction to prevent any scratching of its delicate bottom, but the rest of the boats shot the rapids with varying degrees of success. Andrew Richardson was standing in the water at the end, though whether this was to give encouragement, or inform the next of kin, I am not sure.

Lunchtime was another welcome stop, at Stratford St Mary, where again the boats were checked in to make sure none had gone astray. The Swan was providing hefty burgers, but when I went to pay for ours, I discovered that my money, carefully wrapped in a waterproof cash bag, scrounged from our B&B the night before to keep it dry, had obviously floated out of my pocket and made its escape back at Nayland. If you happen to be walking the banks there, watch out for it!

Then it was on to Stratford St Mary for lunch, then down through Dedham and Flatford, with their milling hordes of rowing boats, and on to Cattawade. The last stretch, past Judas Gap Weir that separates salt water from fresh, provides yet another aspect of the river, being calm and placid, with reed-lined banks akin to the Norfolk Broads. The mysterious Brantham Tidal Stop Lock has just got its chamber and vestigial pieces of gates remaining.

We paddled on past the lift-out point at the Picnic Site, under the tiny brick bridge and out in to the basin. From here we walked up the slipway to the top of the sea wall, to look down on the expanse of the estuary and the open sea beyond. Then we retraced our steps and joined the others lifting their boats from the water and onto their cars.

Once again the support team was there, with hot tea and buns, and thermal blankets for those who had got too cold in the last rain shower. The final check-in made sure everyone of the 300 crews had made it, with your success rewarded by a signed Certificate to cap off a wonderful weekend.

And then it was home to plan for next year.

My thanks to Peter Evans for the thrilling run down his wonderful river, and to the team of organisers and helpers who make this event possible every year. I will definitely be back next year, but with waterproof trousers this time. Or I may chicken out and join the support team. If you think you can help, even just for a couple of hours over the weekend, let Catherine know, as new volunteers are needed every time.

18 The River Stour Trust Restoring and Conserving the River Stour Navigation

2014 - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Sun 30 Mar until Sun 26 Oct

SUDBURY BOAT OPERATIONS 2014 SEASON From Sun 30 March: Henny Swan Lunch Cruise & Private Charters only From Sun 20 April: All Scheduled Trips & Private Charters available

Sun 13 Apr until Sun 26 Oct

LOWER RIVER BOAT OPERATIONS 2014 SEASON Saturdays: Waterbus one-way trips, Dedham & Flatford, start 20 April Sundays: Flatford to Fen Bridge half hour return trips

EASTER Sun 20 April until Sun 26 Oct

GRANARY TEA ROOM OPENS Sundays & Bank Holiday Mondays, Wednesday afternoons in August Homemade cakes, light lunches, hot & cold drinks, Fairtrade items

BANK HOLIDAY Mon 26 May

TEDDY BEAR BOAT RIDES AT THE GRANARY 11.00am - 4.00pm. Young children and their teddy bears travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

June

RIVER STOUR TRUST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AT THE GRANARY Date to be advised

Sat 2 Aug

CORACLE REGATTA Bures Recreation Ground. Watch the races or have a go!

BANK HOLIDAY Mon 25 Aug

PIRATES ON THE STOUR AT THE GRANARY 11.00am - 4.00pm. Young pirates travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult

Sat 13/Sun 14 Sep

S2C (SUDBURY TO THE SEA) WEEKEND CANOEING EVENT Limited to 300 craft. Camping available

Sun 26 Oct

LAST DAY OF BOAT OPERATIONS AND GRANARY TEA ROOM

NB Further details and more events may be added (check the website/contact office) – volunteer assistance is vital to ensure that these events run smoothly! If you can help at any of our events or for more information, please contact Catherine in RST office on 01787 313199 or email administrator@riverstourtrust.org Administrative Office (at VEC) open on weekdays.

SALES TABLE TIE Green with Lock Lintel logo TEA TOWELS Good quality cotton, printed with map of the River Stour, green on white COLOUR POSTCARDS Set of 8 scenes around Sudbury & Flatford, Historic and modern views ‘The Lock’ by John Constable GREETINGS CARDS With envelope, full colour (wildlife, scenic, etc), blank inside for own message RST CLOTHING Show your support for the River Stour Trust by wearing our branded merchandise!

Baseball Cap (one size) £6.50 French Navy, with logo on front Polo Shirt (all sizes) £17.50 French Navy, polyester/cotton mix, embroidered with logo on the chest

BOOKS & DVD £3.50 £3.00

25p 30p

£2.00

Sweatshirt £21.00 French Navy, polyester/cotton mix, embroidered with logo on the chest - (all sizes) Boat crew volunteer?

Please contact to order your clothing. RST logo is on both the chest and the arm so it is visible when a life jacket/buoyancy aid is worn.

The Essex & Suffolk River Stour Navigation by the late John Marriage 200 illustrations & photographs depicting atmospheric scenes from days gone by.

£10.99

An Appreciation of Sudbury’s Ancient Common Lands

by Adrian Walters Beautifully illustrated. Details the history of Sudbury’s Common Lands. £4.99 The Essex & Suffolk Stour; A History

by Sean O’Dell A detailed account of the beginnings, life and trading decline of the Stour.

£12.99

Our River: The Stour at Sudbury The riverscape depicted over the four seasons through photography and poetry.

£5.00

Stour Secrets By Ken Rickwood An exploration of the estuary between Essex & Suffolk. £10.00 Stour Odyssey By Ken Rickwood Exploration of the river from salt to source.

£10.00

Secret Rivers DVD compilation (2 discs) of the ITV Anglia series presented by Paul Heiney.

£24.95

TO ORDER Please contact RST Office or visit www.riverstourtrust.org Please allow up to 28 days for delivery

Sudbury to the Sea - Another Great Success!