‘Crossing the River’ [Severn], book signing at Apley Farm Shop

Neil Clarke, Crossing the River, author

Crossing the Rivers by Neil Clarke

Apley ferry c1910, Dennis Price’s photo

Apley ferry 1810, Source – Stephen Dewhirst

Apley Bridge & ferry, March 1908, Source: Bill Rowley

Neil Clarke will be signing copies of his book ‘Crossing the River’ in Apley Farm Shop on Wednesday 15th April, 12-2pm. The book is an historical survey of the ford & ferry river crossings of the Shropshire Severn, tracing their origin, varied uses & eventual demise, when most were replaced by bridges.

Here are 3 river crossing images I’ve gathered whilst compiling the 3 Apley Archives Exhibitions held in The Creamery Café at Apley Farm Shop in 2014.

‘Crossing the River: Fords & Ferries on the Shropshire Severn’ is due to be published by the Railway & Canal Historical Society in March. It includes a mid-19th century engraving of Apley Hall which shows the lower ferry, & also mentions the two Apley ferries & the ferry lower down the river which crossed from Newton to Astley Abbots.

The book will be available for sale at a lecture he is giving to the Shropshire Archaeological & Historical Society at the Shirehall in Shrewsbury on Saturday 14^th March. It will be officially launched at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum on Saturday 21^st March.

He’s also working on a book ‘Waterways of East Shropshire Through Time’ which will include one of the Hamilton family’s paintings, showing a barge on the river Severn being pulled upstream by a gang of bow haulers, with Apley Hall in the background. I’ll dig out an image of the painting tomorrow. Click HERE for more details.