Bench-style stools

Barges and narrow boats were more than just cargo vessels, they were also homes to the bargees and their families. To liven up the appearance of the boat, it became common to paint interior woodwork and everyday domestic objects in bright colourful patterns. These examples of canal-ware are elaborately pained in a free style using geometric patterns and multi-petalled daisies and roses. The larger stool is decorated with a scene of a castle, a bridge in the foreground, a yacht and a lake and mountains the background. The two best know patterns for canal ware are roses and castles.