“The Yard” by Maxwell Bamber and Jack Margerison

Documentary

Jan 30

The Thames has shaped lives for centuries, and for the Wootten family, it’s the heartbeat of their craft. On the quiet stretch of riverbank in Marlow, this family of boatwrights has spent nearly 120 years building and restoring wooden vessels, using tools and techniques passed down through five generations. Their workshop, unchanged since its inception, holds the echoes of their heritage—fathers and sons, tools well-worn, and the pride of a name known throughout the river community.

But the river, as beautiful as it is temperamental, presents challenges. Recent floods have tested their resilience, closing the yard and hampering their work. Yet, through adversity, the Woottens endure. With Lee, the youngest generation of boatwrights, introducing new ideas while honoring the old ways, this is a story of craftsmanship, family, and the unbreakable connection between a people and their river.