PS ''Tattershall Castle'' is a floating
pub
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
and restaurant moored on the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
at
Victoria Embankment
Victoria Embankment is part of the Thames Embankment, a road and river-walk along the north bank of the River Thames in London. It runs from the Palace of Westminster to Blackfriars Bridge in the City of London, and acts as a major thoroughfare ...
. It was a passenger ferry across the
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between t ...
estuary from 1934 to 1973, before being towed to
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
in 1976.
History
William Gray & Company
William Gray & Company Ltd. was a British shipbuilding company located in West Hartlepool, County Durham, in North East England. Founded in 1863 by John Denton and William Gray as a partnership, it became a private and then a public limited com ...
of
West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland.
The former town was originally formed ...
built the ship as a passenger ferry on the
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between t ...
for the
London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). She was launched on 24 September 1934. She plied the
Humber Ferry
The Humber Ferry was a ferry service on the Humber between Kingston upon Hull and New Holland in Lincolnshire which operated until the completion of the Humber Bridge in 1981.
History
The Norse-derived names of North Ferriby and South Fer ...
route between
Corporation Pier in
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, inland from the North Sea and south-ea ...
, Yorkshire, and
New Holland Pier in
New Holland, Lincolnshire
New Holland is a village, civil parish and port on the Humber estuary in North Lincolnshire, England. In 2001 it had a population of 955, increasing marginally to 970 at the 2011 census.
History
New Holland was established in the early 19th-cen ...
.
In the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
she was a tether for
barrage balloons and ferried troops and supplies along the River Humber. Due to the frequent heavy fogs on this river, she was fitted with
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
, becoming one of the first civilian ships so equipped. After the war, with the nationalisation of the railways in 1948, she became part of
British Rail's
Sealink
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland.
Ports served by the company included: Dover, Folkesto ...
service.
In 1973, after long service as a passenger and goods ferry, she was retired and laid up. In 1976 the ship was towed to
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. Repairs on the ship were deemed too costly and she was retired from service. The opening of the
Humber Bridge made the ferry service redundant.
''Tattershall Castle'' was first opened on the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
as a floating art gallery until her eventual disposal to the
Chef & Brewer
The Chef & Brewer collection is a collection of over 140 licensed pub restaurants in the United Kingdom, owned by the Greene King subsidiary, the Spirit Pub Company. They provide more upmarket pub food, specials and cask ales and a number of the ...
group. Before opening in 1982 as a restaurant, she was sent to the
River Medway for further repairs. ''Tattershall Castle'' returned temporarily to Hull for a refit at MMS Ship Repair in 2015, at a cost of several million pounds.
A sister ship also launched in 1934, the , is preserved at
Hartlepool's Maritime Experience.
A third similar Humber ferry, the , built in 1940, was scrapped in Autumn 2010.
References
External links
Official websitePS ''Tattershall Castle'' at thisishartlepool.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tattershall Castle
Pubs in the City of Westminster
Tourist attractions in London
Ferries of England
Paddle steamers of the United Kingdom
Ships built on the River Tees
1934 ships
Tourist attractions in the City of Westminster
Ships of British Rail
Ships and vessels on the National Register of Historic Vessels
Victoria Embankment
Floating restaurants