'Last' coracle shed in England saved by Ironbridge charity

Eustace Roger lived on the banks of the River Severn in the shadow of the world famous Iron Bridge

The last coracle shed in England, where the circular boats were made for use along the River Severn, is to be restored and opened to the public.

The shed, in Ironbridge, has been neglected since coracle maker Eustace Rogers died aged 88 in 2003.

He kept alive a 200-year family tradition, making the boats for museums and people around the world.

The Ironbridge Coracle Trust says the shed is the last one in England and the charity will now conserve it.

Mr Rogers' knowledge of the River Severn was legendary, and he often helped police in the hunt for people who were feared drowned.

'Really pleased'

But he had no family to pass on his craft-making skills to.

Terry Kenny, a local coracle maker and chair of the trust, said 'We are really pleased to have purchased the shed, which has stood neglected since Eustace died in 2003.

"It will stand as a memorial both to Eustace and to all those who made the Ironbridge coracle a unique part of our river heritage.

"We will be making the shed an important part of the Ironbridge Coracle Regatta on August Bank Holiday Monday this year to celebrate its story."

The flat-bottomed boats are built by weaving strips of wood into an oval-shaped frame.

They have been in use across Europe for thousands of years, particularly in the region of Wales and the Welsh borders, the trust said.

The trust has bought the shed with a £40,000 grant from Telford & Wrekin Council's Community Pride Fund and a further £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund will go towards a training place on a local coracle-making course.