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A West Country ketch or a Tamar ketch is a two-masted sailing ketch, designed for carrying cargo from the South West England, predominantly from the ports of the River Tamar, to ports on the Celtic Sea, such as Cork.

The West Country ketch is a specialist type of ketch designed for the waters of the Celtic Sea. At the peak of nautical trading within this region there were up to 700 West Country trading ketches active, only three such vessels have survived to the modern day. This type of vessel is characterised by having a length between 100 ft - 120 ft, a depth of 10 ft and a beam of 20 ft. This type of vessel has a wide midship section, with a sharp bow and a rounded stern. These vessels can carry 75 - 100 tons in their holds. Its shape was very well suited to trading in the Celtic Sea.

The Tamar ketch is relatively shorter than the West Country ketch. It is not only suited to trading in the Celtic Sea, but also travelling up rivers. They were usually built on the banks of the River Tamar. The only current Tamar ketch is the Garlandstone, built by James Goss, in Calstock.

Surviving West Country ketches

Vessel	Length	Beam	Tonnage	Builder	Date	Place	Ref
Bessie Ellen	115 ft	20 ft	87	William S Kelly	1904	Mount Batten, Devon
Garlandstone	100 ft	20 ft	76	James Goss	1909	Calstock, Devon
Irene	118 ft	21 ft	98	J F Carver & Sons	1907	Bridgwater, Somerset

Gallery

• The Garlandstone at Morwellham Quay, Devon
• The Irene off of the coast of the Isles of Scilly
• The Bessie Ellen in Dublin, Ireland
• The Garlandstone at Morwellham Quay, Devon
• The Irene in dry dock in Gloucester

See also

• Tamar Barge

References

1. Calstock Online Parish Clerk River Tamar Travel
2. "Historic Plymouth ship to sail on transatlantic trade mission". Western Morning News. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
3. Ships monthly, Volume 17, Issues 10-12. Endlebury Pub. Co., 1982, pp. 21-22
4. "Irene of Bridgewater". Classic Sailing. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
5. Westcountry Trading Ketch Bessie Ellen
6. Garlandstone Entry in the National Historic Ships UK
7. Irene Entry in the National Historic Ships UK

External links

Media related to West Country ketches at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Calstock Parish, Cornwall
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