Purton Ship Graveyard: A New Purpose

The River Severn is difficult to navigate due to tidal changes. At the area near Purton, the banks were eroding and threatening the canal walls. Between 1909 and 1965, about 30 old unneeded ships (the oldest was 1863) were beached to try to stop the erosion. They would run the ships aground during high tide and winch them further up the bank. Then when the tide receded, they would cut holes in the hulls and allow plants to grow into them. Eight of the ships were 1940s concrete freighters, designed to haul grain, but they were too damp for that purpose.Read more