´óÏó´«Ã½

THIS OBJECT IS PART OF THE PROJECT 'A HISTORY OF CORNWALL IN 100 OBJECTS'.

COTEHELE QUAY. Shamrock is the last surviving Tamar barge, but not a typical one. Barges usually carried coal, timber, limestone and general supplies up river. Shamrock was built in 1899 at Stonehouse, Plymouth for a specialised trade - the carrying of fertiliser from the Western Counties Manure and Chemical Works. During a 70 year working life she also carried general cargo, road stone between Dartmouth and Falmouth and Truro, prospected for tin in St Ives bay, and was a diving tender and salvage vessel back in Plymouth. Among Shamrock's special features were two drop keels (taken out when she became a seagoing vessel). These meant she could go into shallower tributaries than other loaded barges and reach the quays first. When rescued in 1974, the National Trust held 34 and the National Maritime Museum 30 of her 64 shares.

Shamrock is now based at Cotehele Quay and recently appeared in a starring role in the ´óÏó´«Ã½2 series, the Edwardian Farm.