Marcus Stone, A Pleasant Spot on the Thames, 1863
by Dr N Henry
Punting on the River Cam is one of the main touristic attractions in Cambridge together with, of course, visiting the Museum of Cambridge that stands very close to the punt moorings!
Punting in Cambridge began around the year 1900 with Maurice Jack Scudamore building his first punt in Chesterton boatyard in 1903. However, punting was originally a “London thing”, as pleasure punts were found on the non tidal parts of the river Thames as early as 1860. Marcus Stone’s painting, A Pleasant Spot on the Thames, dated 1863, shows that punting had then become a leisure activity in which all could take part, including the family dog. Punting companies are still very accommodating of dogs, except if your dog is very large, in which case they understandably recommend a private tour!
Punts are usually very stable but have been known to tip over; in May 2022 a punt loaded with boxes of Pimms, known as the “Floating Pimms Bar,” partially sunk in front of an astonished crowd. Perhaps small dogs on punts are therefore probably best.
Punts take their general shape (flat bottom and width) from the “lighters”: small cargo boats that were used to unload goods at ports from ships and carry them up river to their final destination. Their flat bottoms allowed them to navigate in very shallow waters like the Cam. Correctly loaded, these wide bottomed boats allowed for an even distribution of weight and rarely tipped over, unless the workers on board had had too much to drink (beer rather than Pimms!). Unlike the modern tourist punts, these lighters had pointed bows and sterns as can be seen on a nineteenth century painting of the Mill Pond kept at Cambridge Central library and known as the “King’s and Bishop’s Mill” painting. The same can be observed on Le Keux’s engraving “View of Cambridge from the Ely Road” (1840s) that shows lighters navigating between Ely and Cambridge. These boats were used to unload goods from the port of King’s Lynn, especially coal and wheat. Navigation was intense until 1845, the date of the opening of the railway station. From then, goods were more generally transported by rail as bigger loads could travel faster that way. Leisure punting in Cambridge only developed once the river was cleared of all these utilitarian cargo barges. Corn and wheat on the river were replaced by tourists and dogs.
Punting was essentially a “London activity” that has become a “Cambridge activity” (never mind an Oxford one!), but is most certainly the best way to enjoy the Colleges and their gardens – with or without a dog. After disembarking at Quayside, the former port of the city, don’t forget to walk across Magdalene bridge, enjoy the view and pop into the Museum of Cambridge, just five minutes up from the bridge in the former White Horse Inn.
