There will be tears over the next few days at Faversham Creek as all but one of the sailing barges leave. See the Faversham Creek Trust website to find out more.
I think it’s a tragedy for the town and for the sailing barge community, and for all those who appreciate the Creek. I guess most of us had hoped someone or something would intervene and they would stay – but it hasn’t happened. I’m not given to swearing online, but damn and blast it.
It’s inevitable that things will change and also a heavy burden when valuable culture is lost. I have said for many years that we live in the best of times because many worthy cultural and environmental stalwarts are leaving us forever, yet we at least were here to witness.
I suppose every generation has said the same thing but I can’t help but feeling we are at a watershed. And not necessarily a healthy one.
michael
Crazy ! … it does make you want to swear and shake some people. greedy greedy short sighted idiots. I think they like the idea of the barges – but not the actual barges. one day there will be just a sterile silted up creek with rows of faceless apartments piled up along the banks, and maybe an information board showing how it used to look! Erith used to be a pretty riverside town, now there is nothing apart from a mural on the side of a pub http://www.flickr.com/photos/mynameismisty/4168507907/
There is just such an ‘information’ board near the library in Sittingbourne, in the centre of the town, showing their maritime ‘heritage’, including the Barge museum, that was to be closed to make way for development [before it suddenly burnt down] and from where the Cambria was rescued to be restored at Standard Quay.
If you look at Milton Creek from the new low level bridge on the northern bypass [that permanently locks off the upper reach], you will see a totally deserted creek, lost and gone forever!
We are desperately trying to stop the last remaining creekside areas on Faversham Creek from being ‘developed’ which means exclusive housing, with no access from the town nor ashore from the water.
Most has already gone that way but there is a chance that Standard Quay can be continued as a centre for Barges to be repaired, to everybody’s benefit, including the developer who actually wants them there, but does not seem able to create an attractive environment for them, and the shipwrights. The Black sheds cannot be developed, as they are Conserved, so have to be used; the debate is for what – a restaurant or museum – or workshops?
You can see the whole story at Standardquay.com and Favershamcreektrust.com