Derek Cox Art
Boats, Barges & Coastal Craft of Faversham
Within Faversham's rich and diverse maritime heritage, it is astonishing to discover that around 3,500 vessels have direct associations with Faversham. Almost 2,000 boats, barges and coastal craft have registered at the Port of Faversham. More than 1,300 vessels have been built here including sailing smacks, Thames barges, tugs, commercial and coastal craft, and even steel ships for the Royal Navy. And hundreds of vessels have been owned by local people or had local captains. And the tradition of boat building, restoration and repair continue on the creek to this day.
Through a series of hardback books and paintings, Derek aims to increase awareness and bring to life some of these noteworthy aspects of Faversham's hidden maritime legacy. And in the longer term, the hope is to create a multi-media, knowledge-based, educational e-resource which features many new paintings as well as numerous stories, photographs, videos, podcasts, documents, and other materials that relate directly to the boats, barges and coastal craft of Faversham. On this website, you can find examples of the types of information to be included; perhaps you can even help?
Faversham has been a centre of commercial trade and industry for centuries. Maritime activities created considerable wealth for this historic market town. Its proximity to the English Channel and Thames estuary, and to the secure anchorages provided by the East Swale, have been key to the town's growth and importance.
This website is a window into the beginning of a long-term project into the boats, barges and coastal craft associated with the town and Port of Faversham. And to the diverse industries that have shaped Faversham from it's earliest times. It provides glimpses into some of Derek's research activities together with a collection of recent paintings and short stories of local boats having direct links with Faversham.
Find out about Derek's research into the boats, barges and coastal craft of Faversham
Contribute to this fascinating project
Learn about Faversham's rich maritime and industrial heritage
Discover why Faversham is a Port and what this means.
View Derek's appealing maritime paintings and other artworks
Buy paintings of fishing boats, sailing smacks, Thames barges, tugs and more
Read intriguing stories about our boats, barges and coastal craft
Look for the smallest and largest vessels registered at the Port of Faversham.