It was in the Victorian era that the bright and intricately painted canal boats we know today first appeared on British waterways.

With competition from the railways mounting, many boaters of the time economised by living aboard barges with their wives and children as unpaid crew. These family narrowboats became a common sight, and as the inhabitants tried to make their homes as comfortable and attractive as possible a distinctive folk art flowered. Small cabins were decked with bright paint and furniture, tin utensils, headlamps and a host of other everyday objects were covered with a blend of floral and romantic landscapes known as 'roses and castles'.

Also including the intricate lace, embroidery and other handicrafts still popular among boating families, this book gives a glimpse of life on the waterways and explores the enchanting and colourful world of canal boat arts.