Mary Rose Archaeological Services - Current Projects - Page 2 of 3

The Newport Ship
Since July MRAS has taken great interest in the work of Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust as they worked against the clock to research this fascinating ship discovery. Dr Mark Jones has been analysing the condition of the timbers and advising on conservation methodology. We are delighted that the courageous decision has been taken to save the ship.

Update - 23 Feb 2004

In June 2002, ship’s timbers were discovered during excavations associated with the construction of a new arts and theatre centre on the banks of the River Usk at Newport, South Wales. The timbers were discovered below a run of wooden drains and the significance was immediately apparent. The decision was taken to excavate the site. When the ship was revealed it was seen to be running from one side of the coffer dam surrounding the orchestra pit to the other.

The ship was lying at roughly 90º to the river; the stern was some 5.5m below OD and the bow about 4.5m below. The ship was complete except for the bow and stern which were lying outside the coffer dam. The length of the ship inside the coffer dam was 23.5m. The design and construction of the ship generated sufficient interest to justify full archaeological removal. Nigel Nayling, Chief Archaeologist (left) for the
Newport medieval ship with Dr Douglas McElvogue

 

The ship was dismantled in situ and removed timber by timber to the Corus steel works at Llanwern, where the timbers were stored in water in 17 temporary tanks.

In April 2003 the bow section was recovered. The stern was inaccessible and had to be left in situ. In June 2003 Corus gave notice that they needed the storage sheds for redevelopment and that all the timbers would have to be removed by October 1st.

In August a 2,500 square metre industrial unit was located and leased on the Maesglas Industrial Estate. 16, scaffold tanks [10mX5mX.5m] were ordered and erected at Maesglas. The two scaffold tanks at Corus were transferred to Maesglas. Additional tanks and a wash table will be transferred from the Mary Rose Trust.

During September the ship was moved timber by timber from Corus to Maesglas. The opportunity was taken during the move to reinforce the identification tagging on the timbers and start to build a digital database. The ship’s timbers have been recorded and photographed and a digital archive created. Every timber has an indestructible identification numbered tag secured with copper pins. It is proposed to consolidate the archive and find a permanent and accessible repository for it at Maesglas. The stage is now set for the post excavation work on the ship to begin. The next step is a comparative test of recording techniques. The 1700 timbers need to be recorded to monitor the conservation process and to provide enough information to reconstruct the ship and provide the information required to analyse and interpret the original context and construction. The three techniques are hand drawing, the Archaeoptics© and Faro Arm© systems. Results monitored by independent archaeologists will be published on this site before the end of the year.

Maesglas is an ideal location and it is hoped that the centre [which has yet to be named] can be opened to the public and students to see the ship and the work in progress.

 

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