Stretching across the UK today there are many thousands miles of canals and inland waterways which during the 18th and 19th century played a vital role in industry. These waterways are an integral part of Britain’s industrial heritage. It is our aim, through ensuring the conservation and crucially, the use, of working boats that the role of these familiar water causeways will be understood, cherished and valued by the community. With this cultural education in place we hope to secure the future of our waterways and working boats for generations to come.

The Heritage Boats Project – bringing history to life

As with all things, the best way to learn is by doing. This why we have over the last decade sought to preserve heritage working boats through the projects, creating opportunities for everyone to access to them and really get to grips with what life was like for the families who lived and worked aboard them. We now have a fleet of heritage working boats, maintained by volunteers that visit events across the waterway, informing, inspiring and involving people in the conservation of our national canal heritage. Discover more about the Heritage Working Boats Project.

British Waterways and Heritage Working Boats

British Waterways manage over 2000 miles of canals and inland waterways in the UK. It is they that introduced the Heritage Working Boats Project in 1999 with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, after it became apparent that there was a resurgence of enthusiasm for the canal heritage and the vessels that used to work upon them. Since then the project has remained their initiative, encouraging conservation of the canal network and the protection of many working craft - that would have since been lost.

Want to discover more?

On this website we provide an overview of the project, the history of canals, the fleet and our education programmes and ways that you can get involved. If you want to ask us something or find out more, contact us today. We’d be delighted to hear from you.