Hunter’s Yard is the home of our Fleet of 14 traditional cabin sailing yachts (all but one ninety years old) affectionately known as ‘Percy’s Lovely Ladies’. We also have 8 half-deckers (day boats), all of which are available for hire.
Our ‘Lovely Ladies’ were designed specifically to be sympathetic to these beautiful, unique waterways and are available for hire for a few hours, or short breaks to full weeks.
Have your own Swallows and Amazons adventure! Hire Amazon today!
Amazon is available for hire now and Swallow is being restored. For half a day, a day (or even a week) you can venture out onto the Norfolk Broads for your very own adventure. Sail or row and take your time getting to know these much loved boats.
Swallow and Amazon fans come from as far away as the U.S. to visit Hunter’s. Wherever you come from you are sure of a warm welcome and a cup of tea.
The boats featured in the 1974 film of Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons. They are owned by the Arthur Ransome Society (TARS) and in the care of Hunter’s Yard and the Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust. Hunter’s Yard, a historic boat yard on the Broads, featured in the much loved 1984 films of The Big Six and Coot Club.
Teasel, Titmouse and Tom Dudgeon’s punt, Dreadnaught can also be found at Hunter’s Yard. Come and visit!
Look back through the history of Hunter’s yard and everything that built it up to where it is today.
Hunter’s Yard is situated in its own dyke off Womack Water in Ludham. The two boat sheds are largely as they were built in the 1930s using timber in the traditional Broads style with the majority of original features intact and numerous pieces of equipment, tools and boat fittings on view.
Percy Hunter, with his two sons Cyril and Stanley, built the first shed in 1932 and by the following year they had designed, built and launched the first two cabin yachts of the Fleet. The Fleet grew each year and a second shed was built in 1935 before the outbreak of war to help house the 14 yachts in the winter months. The last 2 cabin yachts were completed after the war in the late 1940s.
The Hunter family operated the Yard until 1968 when it was sold to the Norfolk County Council and was renamed Norfolk County Sailing Base. The Council maintained the traditions of the Yard, however its main aim was to encourage young people to sail and experience the team spirit involved and discounts were offered to schools. In 1995 the Council decided to sell the Yard and it’s Fleet as part of an economy measure.
A substantial public outcry was generated, led by the staff at the Yard and the local Eastern Counties Newspapers. A group of influential people agreed to form a Trust with the specific aim of acquiring and maintaining the Fleet, the Yard and the high standards of traditional boat building that it represented. A huge fundraising effort was carried out, donations flooded in from across the world and over £100,000 was received from concerned people. The final boost was provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund with a magnificent grant of £200,000.
On 1st April 1996 the Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust took over the Yard and re-established its original name, Hunter’s Yard. It continues to uphold the skills and traditions of the Yard and to encourage youth sailing through an endowment fund, which provides resources to subsidise youth groups sailing on the Fleet.
Despite being a fully operational hire boat yard, with work carried out all the year round on wooden craft, it retains much of the atmosphere of the 1930s and visitors return time and again to step back into the peaceful era that existed before today’s pressures. The history of Hunters is very much part of the yard and its fleet. The traditions of quality workmanship and excellent customer care remain as strong today as ever and we are proud to say that we still have people sailing our boats who have been sailing with us since the 1930s.
To find out more about the Hunter’s history, read the Hunter’s Fleet Book written by Richard Johnstone-Bryden or pop into the Yard for a cuppa, a chat and a walk around.
Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust continues to uphold the skills and traditions of the Yard and work is carried out all the year round on all the wooden craft under the trusts care. We always have several projects that require funding to restore or preserve the yachts and to maintain the original Yard and buildings. Here are some of our past, present and ongoing projects.
As you can imagine, the upkeep of a heritage fleet can be very expensive and can only be achieved to the very high standard the fleet deserves, by the kindness and generosity of people like you. We say a big thank you to everyone who has helped us thus far, to those who continue to help us and thank you in advance if you feel you will too.
