The Cremyll Ferry is a foot passenger ferry across the Hamoaze (the estuary of the River Tamar) from Admirals Hard in Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon to Cremyll in Cornwall. It is operated by Plymouth Boat Trips, and runs approximately every 30 minutes, with an 8-minute crossing time.
The ancient ferry route dates back to at least the 11th century. For hundreds of years the route was worked with rowboats, and with horseboats for carrying livestock, carts and cargo. In 1511 the Mount Edgecumbe family took control of the ferry; they would keep control for over 400 years. In 1885 the first steam ferry was introduced, followed by a further six steam launches, culminating in the present vessels, the second SS Armadillo and SS Shuttlecock which were introduced in 1924 and 1926. [1]
In 1945 the ferry was taken over by the Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co Ltd, who rebuilt both of the ferries as motor vessels, renaming the SS Armadillo MV Northern Belle, which continued on the Cremyll Ferry route. The SS Shuttlecock was renamed MV Southern Belle, and was used on excursions. During the Millbrook company period many of the other vessels of their fleet were used as relief vessels to the MV Northern Belle. [2]
In 1985 the Millbrook company withdrew from the Tamar, and the Cremyll Ferry was transferred to Tamar Cruising, who also bought the MV Northern Belle and the MV Queen Boadicea II from Dart Pleasure Craft Ltd, the former parent of the Millbrook Company. Tamar Cruising built two new vessels for cruising from the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth: the MV Plymouth Sound and the MV Plymouth Sound II, though the latter vessel was sold in 1996. The MV Queen Boadicea II was sold in 1991. The fleet was increased to three again in 1998 with the purchase of MV Tamar Belle, formerly the MV Look Ahead II. She was replaced by the MV Queen of Helford in 2004, which also took the name Tamar Belle. All of these vessels were and are mainly used for cruising and providing relief services on the ferry. MV Northern Belle continues as the main ferry, after 85 years in service. [3]
The ferry was operated by Tamar Cruising from 1985 to 2017. In 2008 Plymouth City Council decided to retender the crossing, and Tamar Cruising lost the contract to rivals Sound Cruising, who refurbished Plymouth Belle for the job. Just days before the operation was due to transfer to the new operator, Plymouth City Council announced that Tamar Cruising would continue to run it while an investigation took place into the fairness of awarding the tender to Sound Cruising. Eventually Tamar Cruising won the right to retain the crossing, and was awarded a new seven-year contract starting in June 2010, using a newly overhauled Northern Belle. The company uses Tamar Belle as the reserve vessel on the crossing. The new tender involved a recast clockface timetable, with boats running every half-hour. Additional sailings were added in the evenings, and the enhanced summer timetable was altered to begin earlier, and end later in the season. Fares were also reduced. Tamar Cruising were awarded the right to run the Cremyll Ferry until at least June 2017.
In 2013, the MV Northern Belle was badly damaged in a collision with a Royal Navy landing craft and was permanently taken out of service. It was replaced by the return of the Edgcumbe Belle which is still in service as the regular ferry.
The Cremyll Ferry was taken over by Plymouth Boat Trips in 2017. [4] It continues to run its popular service using the MV Edgcumbe Belle, with backup ferry vessels MV Island Princess, MV Spirit of Plymouth and MV Plymouth Sound.
| Name | Built | Company service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS Dodo | 1884 | 1885 - 1910? | |
| SS Ferryboat | 1883 | 1884?- 1907 | |
| SS Shuttlecock (I) | 1885 | 1885–1910 | |
| SS Armadillo (I) | 1886 | 1886–1924 | |
| SS Carrier (I) | 1889? | 1889–1927 | |
| SS Shuttlecock (II) | 1924 | 1924–1946 | Converted to the MV Southern Belle in 1946 |
| SS Armadillo (II) | 1926 | 1926–1946 | Converted to the MV Northern Belle in 1947 |
| MV Northern Belle | 1926 | 1946–1985 | Converted from the Armadillo, regular ferry |
| MV Tamar Belle | 1927 | 1946–1959 | Relief ferry |
| MV Lady Elizabeth | 1924 | 1946–1979 | Relief ferry |
| MV Eastern Belle | 1946 | 1957–1985 | Relief ferry |
| MV Edgcumbe Belle | 1957 | 1979–1985 | Relief ferry |
| MV Edgcumbe Belle | 1957 | 2013–present | Regular ferry |
| MV Northern Belle | 1926 | 1985–2013 | Regular ferry |
| MV Queen Boadicea II | 1936 | 1985–1991 | Excursions and relief ferry |
| MV Plymouth Sound | 1987 | 1987–present | Excursions and relief ferry |
| [[MV Plymouth Sound II]|MV Plymouth Sound II] | 1990 | 1990–1996 | Excursions |
| MV Tamar Belle (I) | 1960 | 1998–2004 | Excursions and relief ferry, formerly MV Look Ahead II |
| MV Tamar Belle (II) | 1960 | 2004 – present | Excursions and relief ferry,formerly MV Queen of Helford |
The Hamoaze is an estuarine stretch of the English tidal River Tamar, between its confluence with the River Lynher and Plymouth Sound.
The Torpoint Ferry is a car and pedestrian chain ferry connecting the A374 which crosses the Hamoaze, a stretch of water at the mouth of the River Tamar, between Devonport in Plymouth and Torpoint in Cornwall. The service was established in 1791 and chain ferry operations were introduced by James Meadows Rendel in 1832.
East Stonehouse was one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall. It was destroyed by the French in 1350. The terminology used in this article refers to the settlement of East Stonehouse which is on the Devon side of the mouth of the Tamar estuary, and will be referred to as Stonehouse.
The Tamar is a river in south west England that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall. A part of the Tamar Valley is a World Heritage Site due to its historic mining activities.
Mount Edgcumbe House is a stately home in south-east Cornwall and is a Grade II listed building, whilst its gardens and parkland are listed as Grade I in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.
The Forgotten Corner of Cornwall is a geographical area of South East Cornwall, Great Britain. It includes the Rame Peninsula and the town of Torpoint, as well as villages like Antony, Downderry, Polbathic, Portwrinkle and Widegates.
The evolution of transport in Cornwall has been shaped by the county's strong maritime, mining and industrial traditions and much of the transport infrastructure reflects this heritage.
River Link is a ferry, cruise boat, and bus operator, based in Devon, England. The company is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, who also own and operate the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
The MV Cardiff Castle is a twin screw passenger vessel, operating on the River Dart in South Devon, UK, mainly on the cruise / ferry route between Dartmouth and Totnes, but also on circular cruises from Dartmouth, for Dart Pleasure Craft Ltd.
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The MV Karina is a single screw passenger vessel, which formerly operated from Douglas, Isle of Man for the Laxey Towing Company. She operated on a selection of cruises along the Manx coast. She is registered on the National Register of Historic Vessels, certificate number 1893.
The Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Company was a ferry operator on the River Tamar between Devon and Cornwall in England. It was started in 1894, and initially operated a ferry route from Millbrook in Cornwall to Plymouth. It expanded, and eventually became the largest river boat operator in the Plymouth area. From 1943 it operated the Cremyll Ferry.
The MV Plymouth Belle is a single screw passenger vessel, operating from Plymouth, Devon on Dockyard and Warships cruises from the new town pier, adjacent to Mayflower Steps.
The MV Edgecumbe Belle is a single screw passenger vessel, operating from Dartmouth, Devon, UK to Kingswear for Dart Pleasure Craft Limited.
The MV Western Belle is a twin screw passenger vessel. She is owned by Ullswater 'Steamers', who refitted her and launched her on Ullswater in the autumn of 2010.
The Plymouth Boat Cruises was an excursion boat operator on the River Tamar in South Devon. It was started in 1981, in competition with Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co Ltd. In 1985 the Millbrook company withdrew from the Tamar, and several of its vessels were transferred to Plymouth Boat Cruises. In 2005 the company was taken over by Sound Cruising .
The MV Lady Wakefield is a twin screw passenger vessel, operating between Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley Bridge on Ullswater in the Lake District for Ullswater Navigation and Transit Co, marketed as Ullswater 'Steamers'.
MVSeymour Castle is a river boat sailing for Thames River Cruises of Reading, England as the MV Devon Belle. She is registered by National Historic Ships on the National Register of Historic Vessels, certificate number 1955, and is one of the surviving "Little ships of Dunkirk" from the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
MV Dartmouth Castle is a passenger ship operating on the River Dart for the Dartmouth Steam Railway. She is listed on the National Register of Historic Ships.
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