Old barge anchor, Heybridge Basin, Essex.
Posted by: 
greysman
N 51° 43.727 E 000° 42.582
31U E 341831 N 5733355
A medium-sized anchor as a decorative feature in this small coastal village.
Waymark Code: WMK2F2
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/02/2014
Views: 1
This feature on the south side of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation lock is an arrangement of anchor, a dingy, and a flag pole. The anchor came from the Sailing Barge 'Nell Gwyn' and a brief history is given on a plaque on the flag poll base, an old mast socket, which says:
The Anchor Displayed
is from the Sailing Barge
NELL GWYN Of London, Reg. No: 123805
b. 1907 at Rainham by Samuel West for his own use
34 Reg Tons, Stumpy Rigged
Other owners include: F.Metcalf of London
Lower Hope Co. 1934,
Barge yacht conversion,
then latterly a house barge at
Althorne Creek.
Remains head into sea wall.
Last owner Martin Spratt of West London
Donated by Edd Mitcham (Yachtsman)
Althorne Creek is to be found on the River Crouch, it is the creek running north of Bridgemarsh Island to the west of Burnham-on-Crouch.
From Wikipedia:- Sailing Barges were usually spritsail rigged on two masts. Most had a topsail above the huge mainsail and a large foresail. The mizzen was a much smaller mast on which was set a single sail whose main purpose was to aid steering when tacking. The rig also allowed a relatively large sail area on the upper part of the mast, to catch wind when moored ships, buildings or trees blocked wind on the water's surface. Sail areas varied from 3000 to 5000 square feet (300 to 500 m²) depending on the size of the barge. The typical, rusty-red colour of the flax sails was due to the dressing used to waterproof them (traditionally made from red ochre, cod oil, and seawater). No auxiliary power was used originally but many barges were fitted with engines in the later years.
A barge with no topsail - or top mast sailing stumpy-rigged enabled the barge to pass under London's bridges, get in close to shore for offloading goods and get far up river.
A picture of SB Cygnet, a stumpy rigged vessel, can be found here: Stumpy Rigged
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