Updated: 21 June, 2005
© RESCUE

MEDIEVAL SHIP TO BE SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION

RESCUE Chairman Harvey Sheldon and Council Members Chris Cumberpatch and Peter Alexander Fitzgerald played a significant part as the archaeological community won a significant victory over the fate of a medieval ship discovered during developer funded work in Newport, South Wales.

An announcement was made in the Welsh Assembly on 23 August to the effect that time is going to be allowed for thorough archaeological excavation. This goes part way to fulfilling campaigners’ demands that the ship be saved in its entirety. Members of the ‘Save our Ship’ committee, which has mounted an exemplary campaign of lobbying, press events and all-night vigils, have said that they will take out legal injunctions if today’s decision is not acceptable.

The ship was found buried in silt and mud on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, South Wales, prior to the building of a new arts centre. Last week, as the Newport local authority continued to insist that the ship would be bulldozed after the Bank Holiday weekend, the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) organized an email campaign encouraging those who wanted to rescue the ship to write to MPs, Ministers, Members of the Welsh Assembly and Newport councillors. You are still invited to join the email campaign, details of which can be found on the CBA site, along with with pictures and background information at www.britarch.ac.uk/sosnewport.

New Web Site - http://www.thenewportship.com

BBC News - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2212017.stm

Newport Council - www.newport.gov.uk/jumpto.cfm?page=/news/index.cfm

Newport ship: a new threat to the recovery of the bow and stern
15th January 2002

'Of course the Newport Ship needs its bow and stern; Would you erect a statue of a famous historical figure, but knock its head and feet off?' (Gustav Milne, Head of Archaeological Research Development at the Museum of London)

Following the successful excavation and recovery of a substantial part of the hull of the Newport ship, campaigners have now highlighted a significant threat to the recovery of the bow and stern which lay outside the area enclosed by the coffer dam. Following unconvincing claims by Newport City Council that both ends of the ship had been lost at an unspecified time in the past, it now seems that the Council are unprepared to consider allowing the investigation of the areas in which the 'lost' sections are lying. Sir Harry Jones, Leader of Newport City Council has said that 'no delay to the Arts Centre programme will be contemplated to allow recovery of the bow and stern' while other comments have indicated that mechanical excavators may be used in a cursory attempt to recover the larger timbers. Inevitably this will mean that important evidence of the ship's structure will be lost, as will information concerning the means of steering the ship and its potential speed.

The argument that the coffer dam was placed so precisely as to include only the surviving elements of the ship has never been a convincing one and Mr Nigel Nayling, one of the leading authorities on such wrecks has commented that he can see no reason why the bow and the stern should have drifted away from the central part of the wreck.

Current plans for the construction of the Arts Centre mean that the coffer dam will be removed in mid-January, at which time there will be an opportunity for excavations to take place with the aim of recovering the bow and stern. This will not take place unless renewed pressure is brought to bear on the City Council.

RESCUE joins with the Friends of the Newport Ship in calling for letters to be sent to Members of Parliament, Assembly Members, Sir Harry Jones and other local councillors urging them to take immediate action to save the bow and stern. The Friends also suggest writing to the local press (South Wales Argus and The Western Mail) and to post messages on the BBC Wales website. Full details, including relevant addresses and a sample letter can be found on the campaign website:
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/sosnewport/

Newport Medieval Ship - Uncertain Fate of Prow and Stern

Thursday, September 19, 2002 5:27 PM

Dear All,

As you all probably aware following a succesful and well-supported campaign a decision was made - and resources and time made available - to properly excavate and recover the remains of the Newport Medieval Ship which was discovered in Newport, South-East Wales, earlier this summer.

However there is growing concern that the stern and prow of the ship - which lie behind the sheet piling holding up the ends, and therefore outside, of the areas currently subject to excavation - may not be examined, nor any attempt made to recover the remains of these sections of the ship. Newport City Council is seemingly very reluctant to make a firm commitment in either direction, but as time moves on the need for a firm decision grows greater.

The Friends of the Newport Ship group have written to Newport City Council today seeking clarification of the Council's position and recommending that excavation of these sections of the ship is both possible in engineering terms, and very necessary in archaeological terms. You can find a copy of their letter at ww.britarch.ac.uk/sosnewport/prowandstern.html (along with a diagram which illustrates the scenario as well as other supporting information). The Friends group has invited anyone else who shares their concerns and similarly desires to see the full excavation of all sections of the ship to write in support of this option.

Email addresses for where to send letters can be found on the above webpage, along with the postal address for Sir Harry Jones, Leader of Newport City Council.

Many thanks

Alex Hunt       AlexHunt@BRITARCH.AC.UK
Research and Conservation Officer
Council for British Archaeology
111 Walmgate
York
YO1 9WA
Tel: 01904 671417
Fax: 01904 671384
Web: http://www.britarch.ac.uk

LATEST: Newport City Council Press Release - 3rd October 2002

As a result of their detailed investigations, the Council's archaeological advisers, the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd (GGAT) and the design team have confirmed that Newport's Mediaeval ship's stern no longer exists, possibly having been destroyed in the 18th century, during the construction of a stone quay and slipway.

Additionally, the bow may no longer be present having become detached over the hundreds of years that the ship has rested in the mud. An archaeological watching brief will continue as construction progresses at the site to
confirm this.

A great deal of information about the vessel, its times and the early history of Newport has already been learned from the exposed part of the ship. The fact that the stern portion has been removed - and evidence that the ship's timbers had been cut down on the main part of the vessel, will yield important information. It will help provide details on the development of that part of the riverfront since the time of the ship's abandonment, and a little bit more about the maritime history of Newport.

Newport City Council says it is now time to continue our efforts on the vital job of the removal and preservation of the main body of the ship. This is a priority to ensure the safeguarding of this fantastic find for future generations to enjoy and learn from. Whilst today's news may be disappointing it is important to remember that what we have in Newport is an amazing historical find, something that should be celebrated.
- ENDS -

Issued 03.10.09
For further information please contact Catherine Thomson or Lucy Jackson on 01633 232133.

Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003
PRESS NOTICE - Newport Mediaeval Ship - NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED

The Friends of the Newport ship are pleased to announce the launch of its new website.

www.thenewportship.com

Dedicated to the promotion of the Newport Mediaeval Ship the site includes masses of information about the history of the ship, its discovery on the banks of the River Usk in central Newport, the excavation and the recovery of hundreds of 15th century artifacts from within the ship.

The website also documents the controversy that has surrounded the recovery of the ship and which brought thousands of people onto the streets in a popular movement to save it from destruction. There are pages on the history of Newport; articles by some of the experts who have worked on the ship; copies of SOS - the Newsletter of the Friends of the Ship and a Members page with up to date news, details of forthcoming events and a Ship Souvenirs page.

The pages are liberally illustrated with dozens of photographs of the excavations, artifacts and public protests that have surrounded this remarkable find.

Newport City Council recently publicly announced in the Press (South Wales Argus 16th January 2003) that the Bow and Stern are to be recovered. However this decision has now been reversed.

We are disappointed at the decision given the significance of the stern timbers to an understanding of the overall design and construction of the ship and the nature of the steering mechanism.

The Friends of the Newport Ship and the Save Our Ship campaign group are fully aware of the potential safety issues associated with recovery of the stern. We do not trivialise the danger to archaeologists and construction workers, and have always had the highest respect for the standards adhered to throughout the project, particularly during the open days last summer when 16000 people visited the excavation site.

We understand that this is an expensive project far beyond the resources of the Newport community. We fear that safety issues are being used as a smokescreen to mask the fact that Newport City Council are once again "spoiling the ship for a ha'pporth of tar".

The engineering aspect of excavating the stern section has been extensively considered since October 2003 and has not previously been raised as an insurmountable problem. In fact the Council's spokesman Mr. Iain Varah (Head of LifeLong Learning and Leisure) said on the 16th January 2003 "We have said all along that the priority of the Council is to excavate and preserve the entire ship, which obviously includes the bow and stern."(SW.Argus) As late as the 19th March, only three weeks ago, Newport Council wrote to GGAT (Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust) asking if they wished to be involved in the recovery of the stern.

It is understood that the Council has yet to appoint a panel of expert advisors to prepare and supervise a research and project management plan for the ship and we are concerned that the archaeological and "structural engineering analysis" has not been made public. We believe that the problems cited by the Council are not unusual in archaeological terms and there is engineering expertise readily available to overcome them at a reasonable cost and in the time available.

We believe there is an engineering solution to the problem and urge Newport Council to seek a second opinion from companies experienced in deep archaeological excavation.

---ooo0ooo---

If you wish to support the campaign to save the stern, please write to your MP, particularly if you live in Wales. A sample letter and an address and email list is available at www.thenewportship.com. Please help if you feel you can.

UPDATE - 24th April 2003

Regrettably Newport Council have chosen not to heed the appeals from the hundreds of concerned followers from around the world. Building works have recommenced and contractors started to pour concrete over the location of the stern on Thursday 24th April.