Primrose in 1902 (Click on image to see full size picture)

The earliest reference to Rye barges appears in Rye records of 1531 and the design and sail rig of these barges had hardly changed in 400 years.

Primrose was built in 1890 in Rye, East Sussex. She was part of a fleet of barges which traded on the River Rother, the Royal Military Canal and associated inland waterways. The bow section of another member of the fleet - Waterlilly - still lies on the bank in Rye Harbour but her construction is not as important as that of Primrose.

These barges, powered only by sail, were crewed by two men often a father & son team. They could carry about 30 tons of cargo which included coal, chalk, sand & salt carried upstream from Rye; the return cargoes included timber, bricks, stone & hop poles.

In the 1890's there was a significant coal trade. The coal was loaded loose in Rye and sacked on board during the voyage. At that period some 13 barges were involved in this trade. The cargo was loaded into the barge using wooden wheel barrows which were wheeled across a narrow plank joining the barge to the river bank.

Primrose worked on this trade until 1937 when road and rail transportation became more competitive. Until 1940 she was used for harbour works in Rye but was then laid up on the banks of the river. She was rediscovered in 1945. From 1940 to 1992 she was submerged twice daily by the strong tides and these plus the wake from passing vessels filled her with mud & silt. This put an enormous strain on her structure.

In 1992 Valerie Fenwick of the Nautical Archaeology Society, assisted by Brian & Anne Smith and other enthusiasts, arranged for her to be moved, by road, to the Shipwreck Heritage Centre in Hastings and ownership of her passed to the Nautical Museums Trust. Brian & Anne Smith continued to work on her removing wet mud and setting up wires across her breadth to hold her in shape. These people continue to be involved in her conservation.

The hull of Primrose is of unusual design for a Rye barge. Her outer hull consists of two layers of pine carvel planking laid diagonally but with one laid in the opposite direction to the other so that they cross at 90 degrees. Between these two layers of planking is tarred felt or canvas. The inner hull consists of oak planking laid horizontally. This structure makes her extremely strong. The inner hull would have kept cargo away from any water that might have seeped into the barge and because the inner planking is laid on top of the timber frames it would make the hold easier to sweep out between different types of cargo. This type of hull structure continues around the turn of the bilge and follows the curvature of the bows and stern. The skill of her builders was quite remarkable - they did not have any plans of drawings but just built her by eye and yet achieved a barge which was not only watertight but beautiful.