Norfolk wherry Newun launched on North Walsham-Dilham canal

The launch evoked memories of bygone days when wooden wherries would carry cargo to waterside mills and communities along the North Walsham and Dilham Canal.

And the new embodiment of these traditional Broadland workhorses was the result of a labour of love by retired boatbuilder Graham Pressman.

The 68-year-old spent two and a half years constructing the boat in the front garden of his home in Happisburgh.

Christened "The Newun", it was tailor-made to fit within the bridges and locks of the canal, where it will assist with maintenance and restoration work.

Graham Pressman (centre) with his husband Mark (left) and landowner Luke Paterson aboard replica wherry The Newun (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Pressman said it was designed partly from observations of surviving wherries, but also using scaled-down drawings of the wherry Gleaner.

"It is a working wherry, so it is about carrying cargo for the purpose of the restoration of the canal," he said.

"There have been some modernisations involved - it has electric motors and, instead of a mast and a sail, I have got a mast and a derrick to lift things in and out of the boat using the winch.

"It is 50ft by 12ft, which is important because that is the largest size that will go through the bridges and locks on this canal, so it is purpose-built. There is no other wherry that is small enough to go up and down this canal."

Graham Pressman's replica wherry The Newun has been launched on the North Walsham and Dilham Canal (Image: Denise Bradley)

The waterway is Norfolk’s only locked wherry sailing canal, running almost nine miles from Antingham, near North Walsham, to Wayford Bridge, west of Stalham.

It was opened in 1826 and wherries were once a common sight on this stretch of water.

But, according to the North Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust, it was last sailed in 1934 by the wherry Ella.

The wherry Stalham Trader pictured on North Walsham and Dilham Canal in the early 1900s (Image: North Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust)

Mr Pressman, who is also a trustee of the trust, said the inspiration for his project came from Laurie Ashton, who owned Bacton Wood mill and hoped to transport sample loads along his section of canal between Ebridge and Swafield.

Mr Ashton died half-way through the construction, but Mr Pressman continued building and is now grateful to have found a new purpose for his wherry.

"I shall be operating the boat and helping to do what needs to be done, moving cut tree fellings, possibly de-silting, carrying tools and equipment to different parts of the canal," he said.

Boatbuilder Graham Pressman (left) with his husband Mark (centre) and landowner Luke Paterson aboard replica wherry The Newun (Image: Denise Bradley)

The first landowner to benefit from this service is Luke Paterson, whose family farm at Dilham Hall, near North Walsham, includes the Dilham Hall Retreats tourism enterprise and is one of four owners along the nine-mile length of the canal.

Mr Paterson said: "It is almost 100 years since a wherry has been on the canal, so to see a replica on there is a really exciting sight.

"It is such an impressive feat to build something like this in your front garden - it floats perfectly.

"It is obviously Graham's passion, but it also fits with what we want to do. Our vision for the farm is to improve our landscape and enhance and restore what we have got here."