The Concrete Barges

Please note that the barges are not accessible to the public – please do not attempt to visit as you will be trespassing on private land.

In a secret woodland corner of Lymm, in what was once a section of the River Mersey (and still mainly floating) lie three ferrocrete barges dating back to the second World War. There’s a further two barges in the nearby woodland which over the years have been claimed by nature.

From the aerial image, you’ll also see a partly-sunken wooden boat, believed to be “The Elk” – a frigate which was built in 1851 and used in the construction of the Ship Canal. It’s believed that it came to rest here in 1931.

Years ago, this area would have been a playground for many of Lymm’s kids, but today the land which once provided access to the barges is privately owned and there is no right of way.

In any case, it’s not known how stable the structures are, so best to stay well away.

However, if you are a member of Lymm Golf Club, you can get a good view of the barges from hole number 3!

During the War, steel was in short supply so ferocrete barges became commonplace – and these would have been used for transporting goods between ships.

Why they ended up in this remote spot is another story, though it is widely thought that they were intended to be used as a WW2 defence – and would have been moved and sunk in the ship canal, preventing invading ships reaching Manchester.