We look after Nancy Blackett, the favourite yacht of "Swallows and Amazons" author Arthur Ransome.
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Brian Hammett

We are very sad to report the death of Brian Hammett, a Vice-President and former Trustee of the Nancy Blackett Trust. Brian died on September 20th following a massive heart attack. He had been very ill for some time with kidney failure.  Brian had been an enthusiastic supporter of Nancy Blackett since her restoration – […]

Sister ship to Ransome’s last, lost Lottie for sale

Arthur Ransome’s last yacht was a six-ton aft-cockpit Hillyard sloop which he had built to replace the centre-cockpit Lottie Blossom – which he and his wife Evgenia hadn’t got on with. They transferred the name Lottie Blossom to the new boat, and the new owner of the earlier boat renamed her Ragged Robin III, under which […]

Swallow all lit up at the Kendal Torchlight Procession

Swallow, the restored dinghy from the original “Swallows and Amazons” movie, made a special appearance at the Kendal Torchlight Procession on Friday (14th September), writes Rob Boden… Each year Kendal has a Torchlight Procession through the town centre. I only noticed a week before that the theme this year was books and authors, so I made […]

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Arthur Ransome’s East Coast

  • Download the Arthur Ransome Walking Trail Map (pdf)
  • See the Selina King Exhibition at Pin Mill

    • Get involved

  • Donate to our 20th Anniversary Appeal
  • Join the Nancy Blackett Trust
  • Sail on Nancy Blackett
  • Volunteer with the Nancy Blackett Trust

    • Welcome

    You can visit and sail the Nancy Blackett, once owned by “Swallows and Amazons” author Arthur Ransome and the star of his novel “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea”, the seventh book of his “Swallows and Amazons” series, and probably his best sailing novel.

    Nancy Blackett, lightly disguised in the book as the Goblin, was named after the “Amazon” pirate girl character who featured in “Swallows and Amazons”.

    Nancy Blackett was Arthur Ransome’s favourite yacht and is now owned by the Nancy Blackett Trust, preserving her as a living part of the Arthur Ransome heritage. Each year many Ransome fans enjoy the experience of sailing her, and many more visit her at maritime events.

    Explore our website to find out more about Nancy Blackett’s history, how you can sail her, how you can help support her, and the mission and work of the Nancy Blackett Trust.

    You can keep updated with e-mail alerts by clicking here.

    Nancy Blackett passes Pin Mill, June 2017.
    Photo: Bill Wallace-King.