Return of The Severn

In March 2018 one of the original wooden boats made in Arnside by Crossfield boatbuilders was brought back to the village with the help of a Heritage Lottery grant awarded to the Arnside Sailing Club and the archive group.

You can watch the video Bringing Severn Back Home here.

 A Friends Group has been set up to help maintain and sail Severn. If you want to join please email crossfieldyachtsevern@gmail.com

To find out more about the progress of the boat and to help support its maintenance go to the sailing club site. 

The Severn of Arnside page includes a donate button.

 

A 106 year yacht old sails for the first time since returning to South Lakes Village

Severn sailing off Arnside with Grange-over-Sands in the background and Severn sailing at Arnside with Crossfield’s Boatyard in the background

Severn, a 106 year old yacht sailed for the first time last weekend since her return to Arnside, where she was built in 1912. Severn is one of ten Rivers Class yachts made for the Royal Mersey Yacht Club by William Crossfield and Sons in their Beach Walk Boatyard on the shore at Arnside. Crossfields were leading builders of Morecambe Bay Prawners and Yachts. Around 40 of their boats survive including two in the Mediterranean and one on the west coast of America. The oldest which was built in 1888 took part in Round Britain Challenge in 1888. Severn was purchased by Arnside Sailing Club with a help of a Heritage Lottery Grant earlier this year.

Alasdair Simpson for the Sailing Club said “I would like to thank everybody who helped get Severn ready to go into the estuary and the people that sailed her this weekend. It has been a real community project with a lot of different people contributing to the project”.

Over the weekend Arnside Archive Group also held an exhibition on the village’s maritime heritage. Historically the Kent Estuary acted as the port for Kendal. The village’s first yacht club was set up in 1852, making it the earliest yacht club in the district. Around 20 members of the Crossfield family came up for the exhibition. Mary Hamilton for the Archive Group said “The exhibition was a great success with around 300 visitors in two days. It generated a great deal of interest, both amongst people living in the village and elsewhere, with people coming to Arnside especially to see the exhibition. It was great to meet so many members of the Crossfield family at the exhibition.”

Alasdair Simpson for the Sailing Club said “I would like to thank everybody who helped get Severn ready to go into the estuary and the people that sailed her this weekend. It has been a real community project with a lot of different people contributing to the project”.

Over the weekend Arnside Archive Group also held an exhibition on the village’s maritime heritage. Historically the Kent Estuary acted as the port for Kendal. The village’s first yacht club was set up in 1852, making it the earliest yacht club in the district. Around 20 members of the Crossfield family came up for the exhibition. Mary Hamilton for the Archive Group said “The exhibition was a great success with around 300 visitors in two days. It generated a great deal of interest, both amongst people living in the village and elsewhere, with people coming to Arnside especially to see the exhibition. It was great to meet so many members of the Crossfield family at the exhibition.”

Further Information: Alasdair Simpson. Arnside Sailing Club, tel 01524 762386, alasdairsimpson2@gmail.com

Photos: Niall Johnson

 

Click here to listen to a song written about the Severn:

Severn Song by Mike Greenwood


SAILS ORDER 10TH OCT