Purton Barge Graveyard

Rob took me to the Purton Barge Graveyard on the river severn estuary, the first barges were placed here in 1909 when it was realised the estuary tide risked eroding the divide between the estuary and the canal.

A mix of old concrete and wooden barges including many below the surface that were taken out of Sharpness dock on the high spring tides by tug toward the shore and then released to allow them to charge up the bank as far as possible, holes were then knocked in the hull to allow them to fill with silt - see this link: http://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/canal/graveyard.htm

These are my images taken yesterday.