Local Ferries in Suffolk
Encyclopedia
The Ferries in Suffolk are local ferry
services in southeastern England
, United Kingdom
which connects Suffolk
with Essex
to its south.
A ferry for foot passengers and bicycles across the River Deben
between Felixstowe Ferry
and Bawdsey
, and provides continuity for the Suffolk Coast Path and Regional Cycle Route 41. The ferry operates from Easter weekend until the end of October on a varying timetable, and can also be used as a water taxi to moored yachts.
Prior to 1894 the small passenger boats ran ferry trips. In 1894 Sir William Quilter
, owner of Bawdsey Manor
, established a steam-drawn chain ferry which the family owned until 1931. From 1931 until the start of WW2 Charlie Brinckley then operated a launch
for passengers with his son Robert (senior). Bawdsey Manor was purchased by the RAF in 1936 to become RAF Bawdsey
and the ferry was closed to the public during WW2. After the end of the war a daily service was operated until 1974 under contract to RAF Bawdsey and since 1974 it has operated on summer weekends only. The Bawdsey Ferry is mentioned in three Acts of Parliament, the 'Felixstowe & Bawdsey Ferry Railway Act 1887', the 'Felixstowe and Bawdsey Ferry Railway (Extension of Time) Act 1890' and the 'Felixstowe and Bawdsey Ferry Rly.(Abandonment) Act 1892'
for foot passengers and for cyclists (no tandems) using Regional Cycle Route 41. It is operated by volunteers on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11am to 4pm within the season, which was April 6th to September 30th. Outside those hours it may be available by pre-booking on +44(0)1394 450843 or +44(0)7913 672499 (2007 season). More information is available from the notice on the pier. The ferry claims to be the smallest licensed ferry in Europe
.
The ferry service was restarted by Bryan Rogers after a gap of 80 years and is now run by volunteers
and River Orwell
running between Harwich International Port
near Harwich
and Landguard Fort
near to the Port of Felixstowe and also to Shotley Gate
on the Shotley Peninsula (summer only).
to Walberswick
ferry across the River Blyth
uses a traditional rowing boat and operates daily from June to September and weekends only in April and May (2007 season). Contact: 01502 478615
Until 1885 a rowing ferry was used when a floating bridge chain ferry was started, initially hand-cranked ferry later being replaced by a steam ferry which ran until 1942 after improvements to the habour made operation of the ferry too difficult. Frank Palmer then restarted the old rowing ferry has was succeeded by Bob Cross and David Church.
51°56′22"N 1°18′17"E
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services in southeastern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which connects Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
with Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
to its south.
Bawdsey Ferry
River Deben
The River Deben is a river in Suffolk rising in Debenham -to be precise it has two main sources but the others are mostly fields runoff then , passes through Woodbridge, turning into a tidal estuary before entering the North Sea at Felixstowe Ferry...
between Felixstowe Ferry
Felixstowe Ferry
Felixstowe Ferry is a hamlet in Suffolk, England, approximately two miles northeast of Felixstowe at the mouth of the River Deben with a ferry to the Bawdsey peninsula.Local businesses include the Ferry Cafe and the Ferry Boat Inn. St...
and Bawdsey
Bawdsey
Bawdsey is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, eastern England. Located near Felixstowe, it had an estimated population of 340 in 2007.Bawdsey Manor is notable as the place where radar research took place early in World War II, before moving to Worth Matravers, which is four miles to the west of...
, and provides continuity for the Suffolk Coast Path and Regional Cycle Route 41. The ferry operates from Easter weekend until the end of October on a varying timetable, and can also be used as a water taxi to moored yachts.
Prior to 1894 the small passenger boats ran ferry trips. In 1894 Sir William Quilter
Sir William Quilter, 1st Baronet
Sir William Cuthbert Quilter, 1st Baronet was an English stock broker, art collector and Liberal/Liberal Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1906....
, owner of Bawdsey Manor
Bawdsey Manor
Bawdsey Manor stands at a prominent position at the mouth of the River Deben close to the village of Bawdsey in Suffolk, England, about 118 km northeast of London....
, established a steam-drawn chain ferry which the family owned until 1931. From 1931 until the start of WW2 Charlie Brinckley then operated a launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
for passengers with his son Robert (senior). Bawdsey Manor was purchased by the RAF in 1936 to become RAF Bawdsey
RAF Bawdsey
RAF Bawdsey was an RAF station situated on the eastern coast in Suffolk, England.Bawdsey Manor, dating from 1886, was taken over in March 1936 by the Air Ministry for developing the Chain Home RDF system...
and the ferry was closed to the public during WW2. After the end of the war a daily service was operated until 1974 under contract to RAF Bawdsey and since 1974 it has operated on summer weekends only. The Bawdsey Ferry is mentioned in three Acts of Parliament, the 'Felixstowe & Bawdsey Ferry Railway Act 1887', the 'Felixstowe and Bawdsey Ferry Railway (Extension of Time) Act 1890' and the 'Felixstowe and Bawdsey Ferry Rly.(Abandonment) Act 1892'
Butley Ferry
A small ferry operates across the River ButleyRiver Ore
The River Ore is the name of the final section of the River Alde in Suffolk, England from just above Orford to the sea. It has one tributary, the River Butley, and Havergate Island is found at their confluence....
for foot passengers and for cyclists (no tandems) using Regional Cycle Route 41. It is operated by volunteers on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11am to 4pm within the season, which was April 6th to September 30th. Outside those hours it may be available by pre-booking on +44(0)1394 450843 or +44(0)7913 672499 (2007 season). More information is available from the notice on the pier. The ferry claims to be the smallest licensed ferry in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Volunteering
Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be...
Harwich Harbour Ferry
Operates across the River StourRiver Stour, Suffolk
The River Stour is a river in East Anglia, England. It is 76 km long and forms most of the county boundary between Suffolk to the north, and Essex to the south. It rises in eastern Cambridgeshire, passes to the east of Haverhill, through Cavendish, Sudbury and the Dedham Vale, and joins the...
and River Orwell
River Orwell
The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river, above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping. It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe...
running between Harwich International Port
Harwich International Port
Harwich International Port is a North Sea seaport in Essex, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Stour one mile upstream from the town of Harwich, opposite Port of Felixstowe...
near Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
and Landguard Fort
Landguard Fort
Built just outside Felixstowe, Suffolk, at the mouth of the River Orwell, Landguard Fort was designed to guard the entrance to Harwich. The first fortifications from 1540 were a few earthworks and blockhouse, but it was James I of England who ordered the construction of a square fort with bulwarks...
near to the Port of Felixstowe and also to Shotley Gate
Shotley Gate
Shotley Gate is a settlement to the south of Shotley, in the Babergh district, in the county of Suffolk, England. Shotley Gate has a pub called Bristol Arms.-References:...
on the Shotley Peninsula (summer only).
Southwold to Walberswick Ferry
The SouthwoldSouthwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
to Walberswick
Walberswick
Walberswick is a village on the Suffolk coast in England, across the River Blyth from Southwold. Coastal erosion and the shifting of the mouth of the River Blyth meant that the neighbouring town of Dunwich was lost as a port in the last years of the 13th century...
ferry across the River Blyth
River Blyth
River Blyth is the name of several rivers in England.*River Blyth, Northumberland*River Blyth, Suffolk...
uses a traditional rowing boat and operates daily from June to September and weekends only in April and May (2007 season). Contact: 01502 478615
Until 1885 a rowing ferry was used when a floating bridge chain ferry was started, initially hand-cranked ferry later being replaced by a steam ferry which ran until 1942 after improvements to the habour made operation of the ferry too difficult. Frank Palmer then restarted the old rowing ferry has was succeeded by Bob Cross and David Church.
See also
- Harwich Harbour FerryHarwich Harbour FerryThe Harwich Harbour Ferry is a foot ferry that runs during the summer between Harwich International Port near Harwich to Landguard Fort near Felixstowe and also with Shotley...
- National Cycle Route 51NCR 51National Cycle Route 51 is an English long distance cycle route running broadly east-west connecting Colchester and the port of Harwich to Oxford via Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge.Links to:* National Cycle Route 1 at Colchester and Ipswich...
- North Sea Cycle RouteNorth Sea Cycle RouteThe North Sea Cycle Route is a 6000 km cycle route through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. It is also known as EuroVelo route 12 ....
- Regional Cycle Route 41
- Suffolk Coast Path
Bawdsey Ferry
- Suffolk
- Felixstowe-Bawdsey Ferry
- Google Map (incorrectly shows a road across the Deben (Dec2007))
Butley Ferry
Harwich Harbour Ferry
- Official site for Harwich Harbour Ferry
- Google Map
- Harwich, Felixstowe and Shotley Foot Ferry Society
51°56′22"N 1°18′17"E