Hulked Showcase: the creative heritage of the Thames Barges

Walk along the foreshore of any stretch of the East Coast and you will spy weed covered decaying timbers jutting from the mud, giving a hint to the presence of a ship’s last resting place.

It might be hard to imagine, but only 60 years ago, these vessels were homes, workhorses and in some cases, powerful racing machines watched by thousands of people as they charged down the river trying to grab their slice of glory.

Whilst they will never set canvas from lofty spars again, their memory is still kept alive by those that saw them underway or stood at the wheel guiding them on their passage.

The Hulked project captures some of these memories before they are lost in time and records the final days of the hulks before they slip beneath the mud for eternity.

Visit the former brickfield at Lower Halstow, home to Edith May, Ardwina and Thistle, and download the soundwalk to immerse yourself in tales of the hulks.