So it’s fitting that now The Bargeman’s Rest sits in just this spot, providing refreshments to locals and visitors alike, including the many people who still use the River Medina for both business and pleasure. The main building that is now The Bargeman’s was once known as the Derrick Store, was built by the Shepard family in the 1880s and probably replaced a worker’s cottage that sat in the same location at a time before there was a quay built and the river had a more natural riverbank.
The building did not sit right alongside the river as there was a right of way along the bank, so a hoist was located halfway between the building and the quay to enable loading into barges (this can be seen in the picture, right). The main mast of this derrick still remains and is used to carry the pub sign and is a great reminder of previous times. By all accounts over the years the building has also been used as squash courts, a clubhouse for the local cricket club and even a toy museum, but in this location a freehouse pub that gives a nod back towards its past seems to be the perfect use.