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Showing posts from May, 2021

Harry the Coracle Man

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These images are based on the account of Harry Rogers, a man who lived on the banks of the River Severn in a house he built himself. There he made coracles and expertly navigated the river in this spherical craft to salvage whatever the water presented.  The coracle is an ancient form of boat that can be carried over land and manoeuvred with a single paddle. According to Wilford Byford-Jones (who interviewed Rogers in the 1960s), numerous animals could be found in his house and garden including a jackdaw and a fox cub called Billy!     References   Byford-Jones, W., (1967).  Severn Valley Stories.  Shropshire: Shropshire Star and Journal Ltd.

North of Upton-upon-Severn

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During the few hours I spent walking along the riverbank, I saw several different boats (and a solitary rower). The Severn Way was blocked at one point with heavy machinery loading sand onto barges, which then shuttled it to a location downstream. The barges (with names such as ‘ELVER’ and ‘PERCH’) look as if they are about to sink once fully-laden and sit very low in the water. A couple of canal boats were moored up and I took the opportunity to make a quick sketch. Walking north from Upton, I passed through a vast floodplain meadow that was full of dandelions and large old trees. Looking back towards the town, the view is dominated by the ‘Pepperpot’ bell tower of the church and a row of poplars.   There was a point on the path where a small stone beach had formed rather than the usual sticky mud and I was able to dip my boots into the river. Very peaceful, rippling water, which reminded me of the Wye. On the opposite bank there are some boat houses of varying shape, size and splendo