Maritime Heritage - Willow Wren
With its vertical stem and overhanging stern, the WILLOW WREN is a typical "plank-on-edge" cutter of 19th century yacht design. There are very few yachts of this size and age in existence.
She was built in 1886 by Arthur Payne & Sons of Southampton to the order of Mr. Philip Patmore, Lord of the Manor of Burnham-on-Crouch and 1st commodore of the Royal Burnham Yacht Club.
In 1916 WILLOW WREN's lead keel and bronze fittings were scrapped to support the war effort, and the WILLOW WREN served as a houseboat on the eastern coast of England until 1976.
When the vessel was restored, the exterior of the hull was professionally and in high standard sheated in ferrocement to obtain the best combination of strength and appearance. The original
wooden hull and the historic victorian interior have been nearly complete preserved. At the same time, the WILLOW WREN was equipped with its first engine.
After a 10 year restoration rigged as a gaff ketch, WILLOW WREN now also has its original yawl rigging with the typical lug-rigged mizzenmast.
