Waypoint 5 – Furlong, Ferry Road

Holman’s Upper Yard

The house known as Furlong on Ferry Road was once the site of a sail loft, foundry and workshop for Upper Passage Yard from c. 1700. Wooden ships had been built here for many years. In c. 1800, shipbuilder Robert Davy bought it for his expanding shipbuilding need. In 1850, John Holman & Sons acquired the site to become known as Holman’s upper yard. A limestone wall just before the Halyards development on Ferry Road marks the far end of the shipyard.

As a working ship building yard, it once had a 135 ft (41m) sail loft where square sails made and stored above a carpenter’s shop and foundry where chains were made. It had a saw-pit on the south side of house and an associated block shop in Follett Road. A block shop is workshop where rigging blocks (pulleys) were manufactured. These blocks were essential components for a ship’s rigging.

A tablet on the slipway records 12 ships built on this site. Artefacts found here include some shipwrights tools and a cannon ball.

On the South wall facing the river is mounted a ship’s figurehead. It is said to have come from a Royal Naval vessel HMS Centurion that was broken up in Dartmouth around 1800.

A plaque mounted in the old dock wall at Furlong says the following:

In this and the adjoining slipways
were built between the years 1800 and 1860
by Messrs. Robert and Daniel Bishop Davy
Messrs. Bowden and Messrs. John Holman & Sons
over 100 vessels varying in size from 100 to 300 tons deadweight.
The most important were the following Barques.
Amy 252 built in 1839
Emlyn 274 1841
Queen of the Exe 252 1852
Belle of Devon 196 1857
N A Holman 271 1859

Transcription from plaque – Davy, Bowden and Holman Shipbuilding

One of the largest patent slipways for lifting vessels was installed here in 1850. Around 1860, the sail loft at Furlong burnt down and was rebuilt.

Let’s set sail to your next stop
Full ahead to the Recreation Ground – seek out the Heritage Information panel. Walk through the first entrance gate to the Recreation Ground and you’ll see it on the right-hand side.