The start or end of Cornwall
Plymouth Boat Trips Ltd
2-5 Commercial Wharf, Mayflower Steps, Barbican, Plymouth. PL1 2NX
Tel: (01752) 253153
Email: info@plymouthboattrips.co.uk
Web: www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk/ferries/cremyll-ferry
The Cremyll Ferry is a foot passenger ferry across the estuary of The River Tamar from Admirals Hard in Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon to Cremyll in Cornwall. It is operated by Plymouth Boat Trips, and runs approximately every 30 minutes, with an 8-minute crossing time.
The ancient ferry route dates back to at least the 11th century. For hundreds of years the route was worked with rowboats, and with horseboats for carrying livestock, carts and cargo. In 1511 the Edgecumbe Family took control of the ferry; they would keep control for over 400 years.
The original crossing was from Devil's Point to Barnpool. The route from there on the Cornish side took travellers close to the eventual site of Mount Edgcumbe House and then by a path still deeply cut into the hillside leading to the North side of Maker Church. The inconvenience of this route to the Edgcumbe Family was met by shifting the western terminal of the ferry to Cremyll about 1730.
In 1885 the first steam ferry was introduced, followed by a further six steam launches, culminating in the long running vessels, the second SS 'Armadillo' and SS 'Shuttlecock' which were introduced in 1924 and 1926.
In 1945 the ferry was taken over by the Millbrook Steamboat and Trading Co Ltd, who rebuilt both of the ferries as motor vessels, renaming the SS 'Armadillo' to MV 'Northern Belle', which continued on the Cremyll Ferry route.
In 1985 the Millbrook company withdrew from the Tamar, and the Cremyll Ferry was transferred to Tamar Cruising, who also bought the MV 'Northern Belle'.
The ferry was operated by Tamar Cruising from 1985 to 2017. The company used MV 'Tamar Belle' as the reserve vessel on the crossing. The new tender involved a recast clockface timetable, with boats running every half-hour. Additional sailings were added in the evenings, and the enhanced summer timetable was altered to begin earlier, and end later in the season. Fares were also reduced. Tamar Cruising were awarded the right to run the Cremyll Ferry until June 2017.
In 2013, the MV 'Northern Belle' was badly damaged in a collision with a Royal Navy landing craft and was permanently taken out of service. It was replaced by the return of the MV 'Edgcumbe Belle' which is still in service as the regular ferry, under the current operator Plymouth Boat Trips.
The Cremyll Ferry was taken over by Plymouth Boat Trips in 2017. It continues to run its popular service using the MV 'Edgcumbe Belle', with backup ferry vessels MV 'Island Princess', MV 'Tamar Belle', MV 'Plymouth Sound' and MV 'Plymouth Princess'.
The MV 'Edgcumbe Belle' continues to run the daytime service year round, operating for around 12 hours a day before handing over to the MV 'Tamar Belle' in the evening during the summer months. The extended summer running times mean that the ancient ferry route is now available up to nearly 16 hours a day during peak season - completing up to 60 daily crossings between the two regular service vessels.
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