Resurrecting the Anglo-Saxon Ship in the 21st century
1,400 years ago, a great King of East Anglia was laid to rest in a 90ft ship, surrounded by his extraordinary treasures. The discovery at Sutton Hoo in 1939 remains one of the greatest archaeological finds in British history and, 77 years later, a team of boat builders and volunteers began taking on the ambitious project to build a replica of the Anglo Saxon burial ship.
In this week’s episode of Suffolk Money, Kevin Burch takes a trip to The Longshed in Woodbridge, to check on the ship’s progress and meet Master Shipwright, Tim Kirk and his dedicated and passionate team of volunteers.
Construction work started in 2016 to resurrect the King’s ship to its full, awe-inspiring glory. Tim tells Kevin about the many challenges the charity faces; from sourcing high-quality oak to generating the income needed. As a registered charity, the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company is crowd-funded and volunteer-led, and the passion and enthusiasm for the project is clear from the plethora of people involved.
The ambition is to end up with a sea-worthy and operational ship, with a launch date scheduled for Spring 2025. For more information about The Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company, please visit https://saxonship.org where you’ll find plenty of pictures and information about the charity’s work.
