THE origins of the Newport Medieval Ship may have finally been solved – with new research announced yesterday pointing to the north of Spain.

Thanks to recent advances in tree-ring dating, experts have obtained the first scientific evidence that the ship may come from the Basque Country.

A Basque origin had been suspected for some time but it was only with research into the ship's timbers and historic buildings in Northern Spain that the new results were possible.

Experts from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the Arkeolan Foundation based in the Basque town of Irun had conducted the research.

Nigel Nayling, associate professor at the university, explains: "The mystery of the origins of the Newport Ship, the remains of a remarkably well-preserved medieval ship may at last have been solved.

"Artefacts found at the time of the discovery hinted at Iberian connections but recent advances in dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) have provided the first scientific evidence."