# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Its title is somewhat misleading; although both roses and castles feature in the designs, so too do a number of other flowers (sometimes real, sometimes imaginary), cottages, churches, rivers and lakes - anything in fact that could be part of a romantic landscape.

Roses & Castles covered virtually everything in or on the narrowboat - including the vessel itself. The drinking can, the horse's harness, doors, fitted furniture, lamps, anything and everything was decorated with bright and cheerful chocolate-box designs.

How did Roses & Castles come about?

Remarkably, the Roses & Castles movement took root and flourished at a time when other traditional crafts and trades were fading in the light of the industrial revolution. In fact, Roses & Castles became so intrinsic to the boating environment that it is still going strong today.

No-one knows exactly where the Roses & Castles movement originated from. There are obvious links with traveller culture and their elaborately painted caravans, but historians have also identified similarities with folk art from Germany, Holland and even Asia. Wherever it came from, the reason for its popularity and growth is certainly tied to the limited size of the boat cabin, the pride of the boat people and the competition between the canals and the railways.

Competition between the canals and the railways

Money was short for the boatmen - especially once the railways starting springing up - and it made sense for them to bring their wives and families on board to work the boat in the place of a crew. At the same time, the advent of the railways limited any new investment in the canals and consequently neither the canals nor the working narrowboats were able to benefit from further development.

The cabins, the living quarters of the boats, were tiny and looked set to stay that way.

Pride and solidarity

The wives and other women folk of the boatmen brought domestic pride and accomplishment onto the boats with them. Their space was limited, and this made them even more determined to make every item bright and attractive.

Added to this was a desire to appear as cultivated and refined as possible in front of Victorian land-dwellers who had a tendency to look down their noses at the itinerant bargees with their dirty cargo and often illiterate children - being always on the move made school attendance difficult.

With brightly painted romantic landscapes adorning every available surface, crocheted lace hanging in the cabin and everything scrubbed and polished, the boat men and women displayed their pride in their trade and created solidarity with their fellow boaters.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Roses and Castles is the colourful canal folk art that was used to decorate working narrowboats in the 19th century.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Canal folk art from UK artist Naj. Barge ware and canal ware hand painted to order. See examples of past works.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Canal art and boat painting - Heritage Crafts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Charity that promotes, safeguards and celebrates heritage craft skills in the UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Traditional Canal Art Painting & Teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I live in Cradley Heath, which is in the Black Country where we have more canals than in Venice. Near to my home is the Dudley No 2 canal which has the prettiest stretch of canal in the region. I first became interested in narrowboat decoration when I moved to this area and developed a passion for the canals. One day I saw a "Roses and Castles" painting course advertised and thought I'd have a go. Which led to several more courses and many hours of practice with the "Waterways Craft Guild" and the creation of my company "Canal Art by Julie".

I qualified with the Waterways Craft Guild as a "Senior Journeyman in Decorative Art" and decorate boats and items of canal ware with roses, castles, scrolls, stars and sign-writing as well as teaching canal art as a college subject and I also go into schools and have students in groups or individuals in my workshop.

My main occupation is decorating boats and items of canal ware and teaching how to paint traditional Roses & Castles. I teach groups and individuals in my workshop and I can organise a course specifically to suit your needs.
I also enjoy giving talks on canal history and canal art to societies and social groups. I also teach at the Black Country Museum, teaching, canal art and Rag Rug making.

Please take a look at my Training Diary for more information on courses I am running

I am a member of the Roving Canal Traders Association. I trade with the RCTA at floating markets set up by them and at festivals selling my painted ware and canalia from my boat roof. I support the RCTA by serving on the committee. I am responsible for public relations and advertising and promoting the Association. Many traders live on their boats as constant cruisers and their boat is their main home. They set their boats up as shops and make the canal a more interesting and exciting place for other boaters and members of the public. The RCTA traders are modern day canal businesses which make good use of and a living from being on the canal system.Roving Canal Traders Association (RCTA)

​The pictures below are me at the Norbury Floating Market

Market Drayton floating market

Personal Interests
I am a member of CaRT's Heritage Working Boat project. You can often catch me helping to crew old working boats as they travel between festivals.

I have a 57' traditional style narrow boat moored close to my home , which we have built up from a sail-away.

We have a holiday apartment in Spain, just south of Alicante, on the Costa Blanca that we rent out, so if you like having holidays abroad then take a look at our website at www.casa-julip.co.uk
Thank you for visiting my website and taking interest in me.

​

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our canals and rivers are packed with fascinating wildlife and plants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 insects to look out for around the waterways - The Inland Waterways Association

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here are just 10 mini beasts who have come out of hiding and are using our waterways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Moorhens

Moorhens are also called marsh hens or river chickens. They are small black feathered birds with a red pointed beak and are found near marshes, ponds and streams. Moorhens can live in cities as well as the countryside. To help them with swimming and walking on slippery surfaces they have webbed toes. A moorhen's diet consists of insects, water-spiders, plants and larger animals such as lizards.

Mandarin Ducks

Male Mandarin ducks have a red bill with orange feathers on their cheeks and sides and a purple breast with two white vertical bars. Female Mandarin ducks are different in how they look to male ducks they have grey heads with a white stripe behind the eye and a brown back. These ducks are shy and like to be beside lakes with overhanging trees and bushes. Mandarin ducks eat insects, vegetation and seeds.

Kingfishers

Kingfishers have large heads, a long sharp bill, short legs and a short tail. They have brightly coloured feathers with some kingfishers having feathers sticking upwards from their heads. Their nests are in tree hollows or holes in the ground beside a river bank or lake. Kingfishers are known for hunting and eating fish but some kingfishers also eat crustaceans, frogs, insects, spiders, reptiles and mammals. Even though these birds have bright colourful feathers it is rear to spot one along the waterways!

Mallards

Mallards are large, sociable ducks that live in rural or urban wetland habitats. Male birds have a green head and grey on their wings and belly and female birds have brown specks on their feathers. Mallards eat water plants, seeds, acorns, berries and insects. At this time of year there is likely to be lots of ducklings about!

Photo of Mallard Ducks next to PaperMill Lock, Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting birds have large heads and thick necks and are medium in size. Male birds have a black head and white collar and when singing they are usually perched on a bush or reed. Their habitats are in dense vegetation and the nests are built by female birds with reeds and grass. These birds are found in wet vegetation and on farmland. They like to feed on seeds and insects.

Mute Swans

The Mute Swan is a very large, white heavy flying bird. They have long S-shaped necks and orange bills with black at the base. Mute swans can be seen anywhere where there is a shallow lake or river even in urban parks. Swans eat seaweed and aquatic plants whilst on the water or seeds, berries, insects and plants when they are on land.
Photo of a Swan Family by Chris Clegg

Grey Herons

Grey herons are long-legged birds that primarily feed on fish. They are non-swimming birds and can be seen by lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds and the sea. Herons hunt on their prey by sitting still on the edge of the water before using their long beaks to catch food from the water or the ground. The diet includes a range of aquatic animals, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic insects.

Coots

Coots have black feathers with white bills and white on top of their bills. These birds can be seen on freshwater lakes, gravel pits, reservoirs, rivers and urban park lakes. They build their nests in shallow water sheltered by vegetation and sometimes out in the open. Coots like to feed on aquatic plants and small animals such as snails and larvae.
Photo of a Coot by Marcus Rowland

Canada Geese

Geese are large, noisy birds and can be seen in grassland areas and parks with lakes. Their diet consists of grass, roots, cereal leaves and spilled grain. The Canada goose has a large population in the UK. They have a black head and neck with white patches around the throat.

Great Crested Grebes

Great Crested Grebes are small birds with pointed bills, round bodies and small tails. They can be seen at lakes, gravel pits, canals and slow moving rivers where there is lots of vegetation. They are excellent swimmers and divers but cannot walk on dry land. Their habitats are floating nests built near vegetation in the water. Great Crested Grebes eat insects, crustaceans and small fish.

Photo of Great Crested Grebes by Liam Richardson

Find out more about wildlife by the waterways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 birds to look out for around the waterways - The Inland Waterways Association

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are out and about by the waterways, there is plenty of wildlife to look out for. Take a look at our waterway birds guide.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Website designed and developed by Zarr - https://www.zarr.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Common wild flowers found along the canal Towpath

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read our blog about the wild flowers found on the waterways and towpaths of the UK.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore Foxton Locks, a historic canal site with stunning views, a famous staircase of locks, and plenty of activities to enjoy. Perfect for a family day out.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unlocking Hidden Stories | Canal history

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unlocking Hidden Stories delves deep into the diverse array of objects in the Canal & River Trusts collection.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out what canal heritage and architecture you might see on our waterways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Exhibiting at...SUMMER SHOW - Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Llanbedrog, Wales LL53 7TTFor more information on this exhibition please visit www.oriel.org.ukART FAIR CHESHIRE - 26 Sept - 3 Oct 2024. Macclesfield Town Hall SK10 1EA For more information on this exhibition please visit www.theartfair.org.uk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Looping boat art unveiled on the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Created by artist Alex Chinneck, the impressive canal boat sculpture named ‘The Industry’ has been unveiled to celebrate Sheffield’s historic waterways and industrial heritage.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Canal Art - Signwriting narrowboats and barges
Hand painted signwriting is an important ingredient within the tradition of canal boat decoration, part of the overall painted texture, regardless of what the words say. The owner's name and home town are usually marked on either side of the cabin, and the boat's name is painted on the top plank of the hull at the stern of a horse drawn boat, or on the sides of the engine room of a motor boat.
In common with most other parts of this complicated tradition the origin of this sign writing is fairly mundane, merely fulfilling the demands of canal company bye-laws that the " owner's name and boat's name shall be painted on the head or stern of every such Boat, Barge or other Vessel, higher than the Place to which the same shall sink into the Water when full laden ".

Some even specify the colour and size "... large White Capital Letters on a black ground, Three inches high at the least and of a proportionable Breadth ...." but some left it to commonsense.

In an age when handpainted lettering was the norm however, a mixture of self esteem and the need to advertise respectability and reliability soon demanded a good standard of contemporary craftsmanship, well painted lettering set out in the conventional way on the cabin sides, which were panelled and framed like a notice board anyway.

The larger carrying companies continued to use their boats as advertising hoardings to the end of their days, filling the cabin sides with a stately statement of ownership in large handsome lettering. On the boats of the smaller companies however, and particularly on those belonging to individual boatmen, known in the trade as 'Number Ones', the lettering was also conscripted to become part of their own painted language, expressing far more than the basic message of the wording. It was treated as another painted pattern to enhance the boat, which is not so surprising when it is remembered that a majority of the boating population had always been illiterate. Needless to say the letter styles that found most favour with them were the more elaborate ones, those with strong serifs like the heavy 'Egyptian' style, or the leafy exuberance of Edwardian fairground lettering, all deeply shaded and blocked-out in another colour in a decorative pretence at three dimensions. With extra scrollwork or groups of painted flowers occupying any other available space, the effect was rich and colourful, a lovely statement of the boatman's pride in his trade and his floating home.

The most common traditional layout on the cabin side is centrally placed, with the owner's name arranged in a shallow arch at the top over the name of its home town painted straight along the lower part, parallel with the gunwhale. Adjectival phrases like 'canal haulage' or 'coal contractor' might feature too, but it was more important in carrying days to include all the official numbering in the layout, the fleet number, cabin registration details and sometimes the gauging number for specific canals from which the tonnage could be worked out. Painted roses also featured strongly on the fanciest boats, with extra borders painted to echo the mouldings, and most horse drawn boats had one or two small panels on the cabin sides carrying castle landscape pictures.

One or two of the bigger boatyards employed specialist sign-writers, but most canal boat letter painting was done by the ordinary boatbuilders who made and maintained the boats. The lettering did therefore often lack the fluency and polish of the work of a practising trade sign painter, but it made up of it in spirit.

Pushed by practice and commercial pressure it was often dashed on with a handwritten flair that suited the nature and style of the canal boat tradition very well, far better than the sophisticated skill of a regular trade signwriter, another folk art skill of the canal.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Signwriting narrowboats and barges - Canal Junction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The skills and traditions of narrowboat and barge cabin side signwriting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A concise history of canals and waterways in the UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ‘Canal Age’ and Canal Mania, the aftermath, 19th century canal decline, 20th century canal regeneration.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Each canal provides a living museum to teach you about our country’s history, from the work of James Brindley to the families that grew up on the water.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Grand union – how canals have captivated British artists for centuries – Apollo Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Grand union – how canals have captivated British artists for centuries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lesley Pearson Canal Wildlife Illustrator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eric Gaskell is an artist who has been painting since 1980, originally from Wigan he now lives in Rugby, England. He has had many exhibitions both one-man and group in the UK (London, Bath, Birmingham, Newcastle, Norwich, Salisbury, Aylesbury, Solihull, Wigan) and other countries (America, Canada, Belgium).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Laura Oldfield Ford - Art and the Public Realm Bristol

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Terrifying tales from the towpaths | Ghost stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Centuries-old and over 2,000 miles long, the UK’s canal network is steeped in ghostly legends and helpful spirits.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are few better places than your local canal to find a clear view of the dark skies above. In November, we held our very first ‘Let’s Stargaze!’ event at the top of Foxton Locks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Spending time near water helps us to relax, unwind and see things differently. Watching the wildlife and the ripples on the water can provide a whole new perspective on any situation, and the tranquil pleasures of boating, walking and fishing help put us all in a more meditative state of mind.

In no particular order, here's a non-exhaustive list of canal-inspired fiction. But first, some musings on what might have been...

Literary inspiration

Was William Shakespeare an angler? It's not an angle regularly explored, but the bard makes explicit references to fishing in several well-known plays. Can you think which ones? Our national fisheries & angling manager, John Ellis, talks us through it in his blog.

Jane Austen is not usually associated with the canals, but she moved to Bath in 1801, a year when the Kennet & Avon Canal was first navigable from Bath to Devizes. The construction of this picturesque canal can't have gone unnoticed by Jane Austen, especially given her residence near the elegant Sydney Gardens. She attended more than one public breakfast in Sydney Gardens, so it's not a stretch to imagine her strolling over an ornate canal bridge. Who knows what intricate plot twists were hatching in her mind at the time?

20th Century fiction

Kenneth Grahame gave us one of our favourite quotes in his 1908 children's novel, The Wind in the Willows.

The adventures of Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger are well-loved by all ages and although Grahame lived by the Thames, we know he took several boating holidays. Toad encounters a horse-drawn barge upon his escape from prison and is eventually thrown into the canal by a cross washer-woman.

Ernest Temple Thurston paints a picture of declining working waterways in his 1911 novel, The Flower of Gloucester, which features vivid descriptions of the industrial Black Country.

Just five years later, C.J. Aubertin recorded his watery adventures in A Caravan Afloat, an entertaining read which tells of the challenges of unpowered boats and putting food on the table when village shops are scarce.

Tom Rolt

No account of canal-inspired fiction could be complete without a mention of L.T.C Rolt. Tom Rolt moved onto his now iconic narrowboat, 'Cressy', just before the outbreak of World War II. He wrote of his time afloat in Narrowboat, a book which led to the founding of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) and a resurrection of interest in canals.

Robert Aickman, co-founder of the IWA, was also a writer. Aickman is known for supernatural fiction, which he described as 'strange stories' but he also recorded the early years of the IWA in his autobiography, The River Runs Uphill.

Contemporary literature

Lee Rourke's 2010 novel The Canal paints a bleak picture of modern urban life in which the stretch of canal between Hackney and Islington looms large. Although the location is far from idyllic, canal life is a balm to his main character who enjoys the wildlife and the gentle pace of life from the towpath.

Canal poetry

Our canals and rivers have gained a new voice through our historic partnership with the Poetry Society. Since 2013, Canal Laureates have been gathering stories and sharing new insights to life on our canals. Read more about this partnership, including poems from Nancy Campbell.

Jasper Winn was our first ever writer in residence in 2018-19. Water Ways is a gentle record of his experience over the course of the year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's no surprise that our historic canals, so full of character, have featured in many works of fiction over the years. From literary greats to children's tales, look out for the watery references in these favourite reads.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We’ve put together our favourite waterside sunrise and sunset images for you to enjoy at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fascinating Facts about Rivers and Canals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover fascinating facts about rivers and canals, from the longest river in England to the canal that dates back to Roman times.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check out these four-legged canines from our archives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Art made from reclaimed items is not new, but what makes the spider made from a moped, stained-glass shopping trolley and "Lesser Tipping Dredger Bird" unusual is that they all started out at the bottom of a canal.
The works, part of the Art Dredge exhibition in Manchester, have been created by artists Jason Heppenstall, Donna Bramall and Matt Sewell from a variety of items, including TVs, bicycles and safes, that were pulled from the Rochdale Canal by volunteers in March.

According to the exhibition's organisers, Spearfish, the aim "is to raise awareness of the damage that fly-tipping into waterways does to the environment".

Ben Reed of Spearfish says the project has also seen artists deliver workshops to residents who live close to the dredged canal section in Newton Heath in the hope of "spreading the message" about fly-tipping.

He says he selected the three artists involved "because they are all sensitive to environmental issues".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rochdale Canal rubbish becomes Art Dredge exhibition

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Art made from rubbish that was thrown into the Rochdale Canal goes on show to "raise awareness of fly-tipping in waterways".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Manchester’s drained canal, dubbed ‘traffic cone graveyard’, to host light art installation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UK’s Canals and Rivers Could be ‘Plastic-Free in a Year’ if Every Visitor Takes a Bit of Rubbish Away

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
“By taking action locally they will also be helping tackle a global issue.”

# data[].attributes.headline
Charlotte Ashman exhibition from 4th October - Foxton Locks Canal Museum

# data[].attributes.subject
Charlotte Ashman exhibition from 4th October - Foxton Locks Canal Museum