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Serving the communities of Bures St Mary and Bures Hamlet

 

Bures Wharf

Located to the right side of the B1508 River Bridge, adjacent to Wharf Lane


Classic Postcard indicating position of the
Wharf, with the Church and Wharf Cottage to the left

Photograph taken from the river bridge on the Essex side

Goods that were transported on the river were:-

Outward bound to Mistley:-
Malt from the Maltings (no beer was ever brewed or bottled in Bures)
Bricks from the Brickworks, mainly destined for London
Grain from Bures Mill
Hides from the Tannery

Inward bound from Mistley:-
Coal came from Newcastle to supply the Gas Works.

Straw arrived from London for fertilising the land
This was a byproduct from the numerous amount of horses on London's streets.

Postcard issued by Dines, shopkeeper in Church Square
Wharf buildings in front of the Church

Photograph taken from the River Bridge looking South
Wharf building on the left.

Traditional scene of two Lighters being pulled by a single horse.

Lighters were the name given for "Barges" on the River Stour

 

The `lighters` were usually pulled by just one horse going downstream and possibly two coming back against the river flow.
Each `lighter` was 47ft in length by 10ft 9" wide with a depth of 2`8ft.
Each `lighter` could pull 13 tons of freight, this meant that one horse, was not only pulling the weight of the craft, but also 26 tons of cargo.

The Stour Navigation Company finally went into liquidation on September 9th 1913, a few craft continued to use the river, paying dues to the Liquidators.
The last `lighter` travelled to Sudbury in 1914/15

All images copyright by Alan Beales
Published 20/01/2019