Dartmouth Lower Ferry
Encyclopedia
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
which crosses the River Dart
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. It is one of three ferries that cross the tidal river from Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
to Kingswear
Kingswear
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth...
, the others being the Higher Ferry
Dartmouth Higher Ferry
The Dartmouth Higher Ferry, also known as the Dartmouth–Kingswear Floating Bridge, is a vehicular cable ferry which crosses the River Dart in the English county of Devon...
and the Passenger Ferry
Dartmouth Passenger Ferry
The Dartmouth Passenger Ferry, also known as the Dartmouth Steam Ferry, is a passenger ferry which crosses the River Dart in the English county of Devon. It is one of three ferries that cross the tidal river from Dartmouth to Kingswear, the others being the Higher Ferry and the Lower Ferry...
. The 630 miles (1,013.9 km) long South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
crosses the Dart on either the Lower or Passenger ferries.
Unlike the Higher Ferry, which operates somewhat to the north of the centres of Dartmouth and Kingswear, the Lower Ferry operates from slips directly in the centre of both places. This is more convenient for local traffic, but means the traffic must negotiate the narrow streets of Kingswear village.
The ferry is owned and operated by the South Hams District Council. It is operated by unpowered ferry pontoons
Pontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
, carrying up to 8 cars each. Each ferry pontoon is pushed and pulled by a tug boat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
and, when traffic demands, two such ferry/tug combinations are used in service at the same time.
History
There are records of a "Kingswear Ferry" as early as 1365. By the 18th century, a second ferry was sailing from Hoodown on the Kingswear side, upstream from Waterhead Creek, which had an easier approach than the steep slipwaySlipway
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The...
in the village square. The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, England. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway....
was authorised by its 1857 Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
to establish a steam ferry across the Dart from its station and agreed to purchase the ferries, although the Hoodown Ferry was discontinued in 1864 after the opening of the railway. The remaining Kingswear Ferry was leased out by the railway to a succession of local operators.
In addition to the rowing boat that operated from Kingswear, a "horse boat" was operated that could convey a horse and cart. A steam ferry supplemented the rowed ferry in April 1867, and this could tow the horse boat when required. A new steam ferry, the Forester, was brought into use in 1878. The rowing boat finally ceased operation in 1915 when the Relief was introduced.
In the 1920s the railway sold the ferry rights to Dartmouth Corporation.