The Norfolk wherry is a type of boat on The Broads in Norfolk, England. Three main types were developed over its life, all featuring the distinctive gaff rig with a single, high-peaked sail and the mast stepped well forward.
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Before wherries, there was the Norfolk Keel, a square rigged, transom sterned clinker-built boat, around 54 feet by 14 feet, and able to carry 30 tons of goods. The keel had been built since the Middle Ages and the design probably went back to the Viking invasion. After 1800, the Norfolk Keel (or 'keel wherry') disappeared, partly because a wherry could be sailed with fewer crew, and it had limited manoeuvrability and lacked speed.
The Trading Wherry developed from the Keel. It is double-ended, its hull painted black with a white nose to aid visibility after dusk. Most trading wherries were clinker-built, but Albion, surviving today, was the sole example to be carvel-built. They carry a gaff rig, the sail historically also black from being treated with a mixture of tar and fish oil to protect it from the elements. The mast tops and wind vanes were often painted or shaped (respectively) to identify the wherry's owner - a traditional design is a Jenny Morgan, after a folk song character. Sizes varied, but many of these vessels would carry around 25 tons of goods. Wherries were able to reach larger boats just off the coast at Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft and take their cargoes off to be transported inland through the broads and rivers. The last trading wherry, Ella, was built in 1912.
The Pleasure Wherry evolved as railways took on the cargo business that had supported the traders.[1] Enterprising owners realised that conversion to carry passengers was a way to replace the lost income, especially as the Broads were at the same time being discovered as a destination for tourism and recreation. Early examples simply featured hammocks and a stove in the hold of a trader, but boatbuilders soon began to make craft specifically for pleasure sailing and holidays, using the same hull and rig design but incorporating living quarters instead of a cargo hold. Some were fitted out to a very high standard indeed; for example, Hathor, built for the Colman family (of mustard fame), features highly detailed marquetry in Egyptian designs below decks.[2]
For some holidaymakers, the distinction between the working boats and pleasure wherries was not strong enough, and the sleeker and more genteel Wherry Yacht was developed. The main distinguishing features are a smooth, white yacht-like hull and a large counter-stern providing a quiet seating area away from the sail winch and any quanting activity.[3]
Wherries came in different sizes, according to the river they used. The North Walsham & Dilham Canal Wherry was maximum 50 ft (15 m) x 12 ft (3.7 m) x 3' 6". The River Ant Wherry was 50' x 12' max. The River Bure Wherry was 54' x 12' 8", but for the Aylsham Navigation, i.e. the upper reaches of the Bure, the boats had to be 12' 6" x 3' 6" maximum.
On the southern Broads, steam wherries were used. The River Waveney Wherry was 70' x 16' max.
The mast is pivoted with a large counterbalance weight at the bottom.[4] This enables the wherry to lower the mast for passing under bridges. The mast can be dropped, the wherry continues forward under its momentum and the mast is raised again on the far side by the crew of two. If there is no wind, or the wherry must be turned or otherwise manoeuvred, quant poles are used to provide the required force.[5]
A special wherry wheelbarrow was used to unload cargo, e.g. stone, from the wherries. It was made from wood and strengthened with iron bands. It had no legs, therefore it could be rested on the 11-inch-wide (280 mm) planks on the side of the wherry.
All types of wherry eventually became uneconomic to run, but a small number have been saved either by private individuals or charities. Most of the survivors can be seen sailing up and down the rivers and broads today, although some are awaiting full restoration. Of the eight surviving examples of recreational and commercial sailing wherries, seven are on the National Register of Historic Ships. An eighth wherry listed on the Register is Jester a motorized ice wherry of 1923.
In April 2011, a base was opened in Wroxham where work on the restoration and maintenance of the Edwardian pleasure wherries; Hathor, Norada and Olive can be undertaken in all weathers. The site located in Hartwell Road was part of a £1.5 million project.[6]
| Vessel | Type | Built | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albion | trading wherry | 1898, Oulton Broad | Owned by the Norfolk Wherry Trust. |
| Maud | trading wherry | 1899 Halls of Reedham | Under private ownership. Restored after being sunk for several years on Ranworth Broad. |
| Solace | pleasure wherry | 1903 Halls of Reedham | Under private ownership. |
| Hathor | pleasure wherry | 1905 Halls of Reedham | Owned by Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. Awaiting restoration. |
| Ardea | pleasure wherry | 1927 Robinson of Oulton Broad | Under private ownership. Spent more than 40 years in Paris as a houseboat; returned to Broads in 2005 and was restored to use. |
| Olive | wherry yacht | 1909 Ernest Collins of Wroxham | Owned by Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. Awaiting restoration. |
| Norada | wherry yacht | 1912 Ernest Collins of Wroxham | Owned by Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. Under restoration. |
| White Moth | wherry yacht | 1915 Ernest Collins of Wroxham | Available for charter (Norfolk Broads Yachting Company). Extensively restored. |
Images of wherries can be seen on many pub signs and village signs. There is also a mosaic of a wherry at North Walsham, part of a special monument commemorating the Millennium celebrations.
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