This was compiled from an article written by Sam Guy, much perusing of local reference books and by word of mouth. I hope to expand this with more photos and information as they become available. If you have any interesting photos or stories about Par please let me know. |
A Brief History |
Click on the pictures for a better view |
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200 years ago Par and Par docks were under the sea in the estuary of the River Par. Since then, extreme siltation from the river and waste from mining operations have caused the estuary to rise above sea level. |
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Par harbour was built by a local entrepreneur J T Austen, who, to preserve the family name of Treffry, changed his name to that of his mother-in-law when she died. He had many interests including mining of copper that he wished to export. Transport networks within Cornwall were primitive and the obvious choice was by sea. A sandbank had developed across the estuary and some vessels had already begun to use this to load and discharge cargo. He decided to build a harbour on the site of a small cove called Porth at the western end of this sandbank and employed James Rendel to design and build it. Eventually, he sacked Rendel and built the harbour to his own design. In 1829 work began and a breakwater was built along the line of a reef called Spit rocks. This breakwater enclosed 36 acres of harbour and was capable of taking up to about 50 vessels of about 200 tons each. |
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Cornish granite was exported in the early days for such famous landmarks as Waterloo Bridge, Chatham Docks, Gibraltar Docks and Glasgow Docks. Many industries grew around the docks including a brickworks, a pilchard fishery, a smelting works, limekilns, a granite dressing yard, blacksmiths, a candle factory, sail lofts and a shipbuilding yard. Little evidence of these remains today. The Treffry family owned the docks until the 1940s and since then the port's primary trade has been china clay. |
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Today, the port has eight berths although not all can be used for commercial traffic. The primary trade is still china clay but the port also imports timber, oil and increasingly exports aggregates. |
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Par is a tidal port, ships taking the bottom at low water. Normally ships are moved from between 2 hours before high water to 2 hours after. Draft is restricted to the height of the tide so nowadays some ships are unable to load fully and have to sail around to Fowey to complete their cargoes. The pilot boards about half a mile from the entrance from the 'Par Pilot', a combination pilot cutter and mini tug. Ships are generally swung lightship on entry with the assistance of the tug. The exception to this is the tanker berth where oil is discharged for the clay driers and slurry is loaded. |
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Pilotage in Par has for many years been handed down from father to son but with the retirement recently of Roger Dunn, this tradition has come to an end. The ships over the years have increased in size but have become fewer in number. During the sixties and seventies there were three pilots in Par and it was quite normal to have ten to twelve ships in and out on the tide. Today, six acts of Pilotage makes a busy tide. The Pilotage services are now amalgamated with Fowey and a pilot is dedicated to Par for every tide. The authority for Pilotage lies with the Fowey Harbour Commissioners who contract this duty to the Fowey Pilots' Association. |