News
Items always required for Newspage, Newsletter and Website
Email daveksmith@friendsofpurton.org.uk
December 2011
Perfect stroll
The Purton hulks feature in the December addition of the prestigious national publication Country Walking, with a 5 page spread devoted to the area. The article written by Nick Hallissey with stunning photography from Tom Bailey is entitled ‘Walk among the ghost ships’ and features, along with a history of the site a reference to the work of the Friends. Those wishing to obtain a copy can do so from leading newsagents or by contacting the publishers on 01858438866 and requesting a copy of the December issue.
November 2011
Certificate of Merit awarded for the display and commemoration events for the 50th Anniversary of the Severn Railway Bridge Disaster
The Nautical Archaeology Society's Adopt a Wreck Award this year went to the Weymouth Lunar Society for their research on the “Lost torpedoes of Weymouth and Portland.” Our congratulations go to them. The Friends were delighted to receive a Certificate of Merit in recognition for the “exceptional level of work regarding the promotion of the disaster and protection of the wrecks.” The display, The Severn Railway Bridge Disaster, prepared by our photographer, John Daniell, using material from a number of contributors, was mounted at the Conference and received a great deal of interest. Well done everyone who was involved in the preparation and especially to our Chairman for his ceaseless efforts, over a year or more, to bring everything and everyone together, culminating in such a memorable day providing a unique opportunity for many people to share memories of those who were affected by the tragedy, with permanent memorials now standing at Purton and Lydney. Thank you Paul.
October 2011
The last of his generation
It is with the greatest of regrets that the Friends of Purton announce the sad passing of Mr Arthur ‘Dick’ Woodward on 29th October 2011 aged 88 after a short illness.
Known for his boundless enthusiasm and continued support of the Friends in his role as our inaugural honorary President, Dick will be fondly remembered for his wonderful sense of humour and a willingness to share his extensive knowledge of his experiences whilst actively beaching the collection, during a long and distinguished career working for British Waterways as the suction plant operator. The society is deeply saddened as a result of his passing and wish to pass on our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Dick and the Friends .. read more
September 2011
Friends of Purton address Purton’s Big Society
Thursday 22nd September saw Friends' Chairman, Paul Barnett and Janet Presley attend a packed Dauncey’s Farm in order to explore how best to address villagers' concerns relating to increased numbers of visitors and a lack of public conveniences within this rural idyll.
Billed as part of Purton's recently formed ‘Big Society’, the Friends where cordially invited to explore ways of limiting the effects of hosting the country's most famous ships graveyard, whilst exploring ways of belaying the concerns in what was heralded as a most constructive Q&A session which followed.
During a most enjoyable evening which included locally produced bread, cheese and cider in the company of our splendid host Dr Phillip Pritchard, Paul was honoured to present a well received presentation to a packed house which included local residents, representatives from Purton Church, The Parish Council and Mr & Mrs Neil Carmichael, MP for the region.
The Friends of Purton would like to thank all for both offering us the warmest of Purton welcomes and would wish to offer our fullest support to all of their future endeavours.
See http://web.me.com/jockeydoc/Purton_Village/Welcome.html for details
Journeying down the River Severn
At the request of well known Gloucester based Photographer, Michael Barnes, The Friends of Purton joined him at Frampton Village Hall for an exhibition of his work, complemented by the display of the Friends' activities, during the weekend of the 16th to 18th of September. Over a hundred visitors were guided on a pictorial walk along the banks of the River Severn from Tewkesbury to Aust, entitled “A Visual Journey of a Gloucester Photographer,” with evoking views of the almost bygone life on the river, bridges, sunsets and wonderful scenery. The visitors included passing walkers, keen photographers and artists, and many with a considerable knowledge of the area. Conversations ranged from personal memories, local methods of fishing, the days when the ferries worked between Aust and Chepstow, the Severn Railway Bridge and the need to keep up an interest and record the history of the local wooden work-boats of the past, before it is too late.
August 2011
Purton vessel has links with Brunel
Some may consider the vessel Briton Ferry (details on the Vessels' Page) to be of lesser significance
than other exhibits in the Purton fleet, but a recent visit to the town of that name has revealed a fascinating link with Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The grab dredging crane was purchased from the Neath Harbour Board and brought up the river from Briton Ferry to Purton, in 1911, to work on the Sharpness to Gloucester Canal. A visit to Briton Ferry, in August, has opened up an opportunity to research an area, once of outstanding natural beauty and early history, full of Welsh industrial and nautical archaeological interest and the involvement of the renowned Engineer.
June 2011
Friends of Purton, cross the river
The Friends accepted the kind invitation to join the exhibitors at the Lydney Yacht Club Rally / Festival Music Day 
on Saturday18th. Undeterred by heavy showers, visitors showed great interest in our cause and that of The Inland Waterways Association with whom we shared our tent. The atmosphere was convivial throughout the day (although Paul went missing for a while, working, he said) and there were demonstrations being given on the making of salmon putchers, opportunities for young people with the Sea Cadets and many other items of interest. Bevis and Steve had arrived in their boats. Janet took the opportunity to reconnoitre a walk for the rambling club and later went with Dave to investigate the vessels on the foreshore, with an eye on future, perhaps. Those who missed it this year might consider visiting the Lydney Festival in 2012.
May 2011
MP to debate future of Purton Hulks
The Friends of Purton are today welcoming the formal announcement by Stroud Member of Parliament, Neil Carmichael that he intends to chair an open public meeting in order to discuss the future of one of Gloucestershire’s most famous of maritime monuments.
This come in the wake of British Waterways recent adoption of the site which is now formally recognised by the nations heritage governing authority English Heritage, as the largest ships graveyard in the country, and its designation in 2010, of the sites last remaining Kennet built canal boat Harriett, as a vessel of great archaeological significance and maritime importance.
The meeting, which it is hoped, will include prominent members from English Heritage, Natural England, British Waterways, elected politicians representing Hinton Parish Council, Stroud District and Gloucestershire County Council, is seen as the most proactive step to ensuring adequate protection of the Gloucestershire time capsule since its formation in 1909.
Friends Chairman Paul Barnett heralded the move as a unique opportunity to openly discuss both the protection of the site and the preservation of the surrounding environment. Scheduled to take place at the Sharpness Dockers Club commencing 6:45 pm for 7:00pm on 1st June 2011 Mr Barnett encouraged all with an interest in the future of the site, to attend in order to participate in the ongoing debate to protect the regions diminishing maritime archaeology.
April 2011
Friends gain a hand on history
April saw the the Friends travel up country as honoured guests of the Blists Hill Heritage Centre: in order to see for themselves the wonders of an age gone by. Whilst there, we were treated a rare, behind the scenes, tour of many of the attractions, in the company of Shane Kelleher, the museum's Archaeology and Monuments Officer. Of particular interest was the only surviving Severn Trow, Spry, and the Hay Railway Incline, used to transport barges from the low lying River Severn, up the steep valley side, to the purpose built narrow canal used to supply the raw materials for the nearby blast furnaces.
March 2011
Radio Gloucestershire reports on the work of the Friends
Historic Hulks take place on the register
The Friends of Purton are celebrating, following the inclusion of 5 of Purton's concrete lighters have been officially placed on the National Historic Ships' Register. Seen as a huge step forward in the continuing endeavour to protect the region's maritime heritage, Purton FCBs (Ferro Concrete Barges) have, at last been duly recognised as of national importance. Originally built in c.1941, in Barrow in Furness, for work in the Port of Bristol as floating grain stores, these unique vessels captured the imagination of their builders and operators alike by their revolutionary use of blown concrete to form a cheap and effective replacement for steel lighters. Upon hearing the news, Friends' Vice Chairman and Committee Historic Fleet liaison officer, Bevis Musk, stated that this is a further leap forward, both in the campaign to protect the site and to form greater ties with the nation's existing floating historic fleet and its industrial/maritime past. http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/
Minister questioned in light of Protection Question
Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 24 March 2011, c60WS)
John Penrose (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport; Weston-Super-Mare, Conservative) issued the following statement via Hansard
"My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 26 July 2010 our intention to make a number of changes to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's arm's length bodies. These changes included the abolition of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites (ACHWS), which was set up to advise Government on the designation and licensing of historic wrecks under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. The ACHWS held its final meeting today, and will cease to exist as of 24 March 2011. The ACHWS has served a valuable purpose over the years, but we believe that advice on the operation of the 1973 Act can be provided in a more streamlined way. In future such advice will be provided by English Heritage in relation to heritage assets located in UK territorial waters adjacent to England. As the Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment, English Heritage already provides advice on the protection and conservation of terrestrial heritage assets in England and we believe it makes sense to bring procedures on land and at sea into line. The devolved Administrations will in future source their own advice for Ministers on the operation of the 1973 Act in their respective areas of UK territorial waters. The Government remain fully committed to ensuring the continued conservation and management of underwater heritage assets in the UK's territorial waters. We are confident that the new arrangements will ensure the continuation of appropriate advice to Ministers while allowing flexibility to meet the particular needs and circumstances of each country."
In response Paul Barnett posted the following annotation on 25 Mar 2011 10:57 am
"The Right Honourable Member of Parliament John Penrose,
Following the announcement that "The Government remain fully committed to ensuring the continued conservation and management of underwater heritage assets in the UK's territorial waters", may I respectfully enquire what provision is to be made within this decision, for the effective protection of the many hundreds of maritime hulks which currently reside within the inter tidal zone of the British foreshore?"
Fate of Purton Hulks once again at jeopardy following announcement of legal loophole
The maritime world was today holding its breath at the recent announcement by Natural England, the body responsible for the protection of the nation's open spaces and associated environmental well-being that Purton's famous hulks have more to fear than simple natural decay. Located on the banks of the River Severn, the Purton site, which is officially designated as a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), has latterly been acknowledged, in 2011, as the largest collection of timber, steel and concrete vessels anywhere within the British Isles. Despite this accolade, Friends of Purton, a volunteer group set up to monitor research and record the site, have received the bitter news that a legal loophole exists, which could sound the death knoll for the county's famous ships' graveyard.
This ruling has come to light following the recent release of a previously undisclosed Natural England two page document ‘Clarification of the role of wildlife protection legislation in the conservation of the Purton Hulks’, which advises that Purton's artefacts, which are buried, are indeed protected, however all other items situated above ground level have no legal protection within current environmental law. This point was further confirmed by Gerry Hamersley, Natural England's Area Manager for Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, West of England and Dorset, who, when questioned regarding possible impact on the non-buried part of the Purton vessels, issued the following statement: “As there is no likely impact on the wildlife interest of the site Natural England would not be able to take action to prevent impact.” Furthermore Mr Hamersley stated that, “In essence, activities that impact solely on the fabric of the vessels would not be of concern in respect of wildlife conservation or the continued favourable condition of the SSSI habitats and species and cannot, therefore, be regulated using wildlife legislation”.
Upon hearing the news, Friends' Chairman Paul Barnett is said to be vindicated by the report and stated that this historic stand by Natural England should be used as an example to all stakeholders, be it British Waterways, Hinton Parish Council, Stroud District Council, English Heritage or the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, himself, who all continue to stand by, in the belief that someone else will come to the aid of our dwindling maritime heritage.
As a result, Mr Barnett directly called upon Local MP, Neil Carmichael, to act in the first instance, in order to ensure adequate protection and in doing so, he requested a Parliamentary Review of the Purton situation before it is too late.Debate radio Gloucestershire
Tours resume .. see events page for details
The following email has been received, by the Friends, from Natural England.
'Further to our meeting on site last week I would like to thank you for raising the issue of the discrepancy over the closed period
for tours between the draft management plan and other information you have received – I am sure that you will agree this demonstrates why consultation with partners and stakeholders is so valuable. I have now had a chance to discuss this in detail with British Waterways and I am pleased to confirm the closed period identified in the Management Plan (Dec, Jan and Feb) is correct and that you may therefore arrange tours between 1 March and the 30 November 2011. Please note however that the Management Plan is a live document and subject to review as required to address any management issues arising.
As we discussed briefly at our site meeting, other non-invasive activities such as survey and monitoring by FOP may continue but all ground works or excavation must be requested through British Waterways so that they may consult all relevant stakeholders and secure the necessary approvals.
Charlotte Pagendam
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire & Bristol Team
Natural England
The Friends would like to thank Charlotte and her team for their valued help in resolving the issues.
Febuary 2011
Purton's past meets tomorrow's world
Members of the Friends were treated to an amazing insight into the world of tomorrow with a visit to the hi-tech VISTA Centre of Birmingham University. The VISTA unit specialises in the use of leading edge visual and spatial technologies which are helping to revolutionise current archaeology. During the visit our hosts Simon and Helen were able to demonstrate some of the graphics based projects they are currently working on, as well as giving a presentation of the results of laser scanning carried out at our own Purton site by Simon and his team. It is hoped that some of these results can be displayed on this website in the near future.
The Friends would like to thank Simon and Helen for their hospitality and look forward to working closely with them again, on future Purton projects.
Its official! The Purton Hulks is the largest ships graveyard in the Country
The Friends of Purton and the Country of Gloucestershire are to celebrate the news, that its now famous collection of once ocean going and inland waterway hulks littering the banks of the Severn at Purton, have officially been recognised as the largest assemblage o
f maritime hulks to lie anywhere on the shoreline of the British Isles. This comes in light of the soon to be published findings of a national Hulk Assemblage Survey, conducted on behalf of English Heritage by Natalie Cohen of the Museum of London Archaeology, and places the 'Purton Armada' streets ahead of the competition.
Originally conceived in April 2010 as part of the Historic Environment Enabling Programme, this comprehensive project has conducted a nationwide survey of all known vessel assemblages, a term used to define two or more hulks which lie within 50m of each other. The report, which is not due out until later this summer, has officially put Purton's 81 at the top of almost 200 other known hulk locations a round the country. These include the 26 barges on the Barksore Marshes, Kent; the 25 Mersey Flats at Sutton Locks on the Weaver Navigation, Cheshire; and the 22 hulked vessels at Holes Bay, Poole, Dorset.
Upon receiving the news, Maritime Historian and long time campaigner for the protection of the Purton Hulks, Friends Chairman Paul Barnett, heralded the findings and stated that the report would go some way in protecting the site which remains, a beacon of our once glorious maritime heritage. Press release
Purton Hulks to feature in eminent University exhibition
The following is an extract from a letter recently received by FoP and effectively demonstrates that the draw of the Purton Hulks is truely nationwide. The Friends are of course happy to oblige and welcome the opportunity to be involved
Dear Friends of Purton
I am contacting you in connection with the ship’s graveyard at Purton and the possibility of perhaps incorporating images or other material in an exhibition about archaeology at the Manchester Museum hopefully opening in October 2011. We are using this as an opportunity to explore different aspects of archaeology including conservation and science. We’re working with a conservator at York Archaeological Trust which specialises in waterlogged wood and we’re interested in reflecting not only individual discoveries but potentially wider landscapes such as the ship’s graveyard. We’d be interested in using images, moving film, sound recordings, possibly artefactual material, if available. So surveys, remote sensing, aerial photographs etc are potentially of interest to us. I appreciate you have been working with the University of Birmingham and perhaps you could put me in touch with a contact there? Thanking you in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Bryan Sitch
Deputy Head of Collections
The Manchester Museum
The University of Manchester
Sustainable management of change
The Friends have supplied information on the Purton Ships Graveyard to a project commissioned by English Heritage to apply Historic Seascape Characterisation (HSC) 
to England’s share of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary. Specialists at SeaZone Solutions Ltd have teamed up with the Historic Environment Team at Cornwall Council to undertake the work, funded by English Heritage through the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund.
The purpose of HSC is primarily to inform Marine Planning and the sustainable management of change affecting the historic environment; it has many applications such as Development Control and Local Planning, Coastal Access and Management, Aggregate Extraction and Offshore Construction Licenses, Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Surveys, Shoreline Management Plans etc.
Joy as FoP gain valued sponsorship to record hulks
The Friends are today celebrating the news that our friends at 3H Consulting have agreed to provide a course of training sessions, continued 
mentoring and much needed sponsorship in the form of a license for its survey and recording software program Site Recorder 4. The software suite will not only enable the Friends to accurately record the entire remains of the largest ships graveyard in the country, but will also aid the ongoing programme of monitoring which is recording the continued destruction of the County’s maritime heritage.
Director of 3H Consulting Ltd, Peter Holt, upon pledging his support stated that "3H Consulting is pleased to support the Friends of Purton as this is an example the best type of avocational archaeology and history project: engaging to the public, inclusive to all and producing worthwhile result".
In response Chairman Paul Barnett said 'this is a real opportunity to take the recording of these historic remains into the 21st century and we are most grateful to Peter and 3HConsulting who have shown real vision and continued support by this wonderful gesture. Now at last do we do have the capacity to transform the fortunes of the site and accurately monitor the condition of Gloucestershire’s dwindling heritage with the view to reporting in real time.
The International Shipwreck Conference
Friends of Purton members, Paul, Bob (a keen diver) and Janet set off before dawn to attend the Shipwreck Conference in Plymouth, on Saturday 5th February.
Some of the reasons for diving wrecks include finding the exact location of a named vessel or identifying specific wrecks, and studying 
remains in detail. Problems encountered may involve fishing nets, damage caused by trawling and scallop dredging, oil pipelines across the vessel and looting. Exploration requires archive research, access to local knowledge, fieldwork, then dissemination. Conservation of finds is a developing area of study. On screen presentations are enhanced using images from archive film, hand held cameras, remotely operated vehicles, side-scan sonar, seabed scanning together with geophysical survey data etc.
Among other things, we heard how the 18th century French privateer in the English Channel, La Marquise de Tornay
was definitively identified; how rusticles are the link between the hospital ship Britannic and Titanic; about research into the events relating to the submarine Poseidon which sank in 1931 and the Chinese Government admitted, in 2009, to having raised and scrapped in 1972; how the term “bouncing bomb,” for the Highball, has been applied, during film making, to a different spherical surface torpedo, the Upkeep, as actually used by the Dambusters, two of many devised by Barnes Wallis; that some fishermen in Indonesia are now taking photographs of artefacts rather than the actual object; and how all the shipwrecks around Plymouth Sound are being plotted and linked to the history of the area.
A final quote from the speaker from English Heritage, “Protect the past for the future,” who went on to say that remains on the foreshore are easy to manage and are not challenged, left us with food for thought.
January 2011
FoP explore the Gloucestershire Archive
January 15th saw several Friends receive a sneak peak into the very bowels of Gloucestershire's heritage, following the very kind offer by Vicky Thorpe of Gloucestershire Archives to lead us on a journey of exploration behind the scenes at Alvin Street. During the most informative tour the Friends, were taken to the very workings of the archive and shown many of the countie's historical treasures that are beautifully preserved for the use of generations to come. Whilst there, Vicky highlighted several problems associated with having such a large collection and gave those present a rare insight into how the operations to deliver many hundreds of individual documents each week were orchestrated and made to run smoothly. Where the two hours went, we shall never know. The Friends would like to thank Vicky and her team for their hospitality and never again will we view the process as merely the storage of papers.
FoP transcribe our maritime past
The Friends, in collaboration with Gloucestershire Archives, are working towards making our maritime heritage more accessible from the comfort of our own homes, following many man-hours of typing and painful deciphering of the Gloucester Port Closure Registry. Drawn up over many years, the registry contains individual vessels' names, their official numbers, their port registry number and the date when they were closed or their associated fate. Considered a vital piece of our maritime heritage the Friends welcome the opportunity to record the entire registry, here on our web site, for use by future researchers. That said, plans are afoot to transcribe many other such documents and our Chairman. Paul Barnett, requests that all Friends who are interested in helping with this project, should contact him direct on 0783314321 for further details.