Newport Ship search for new home, says city council

The final timbers returned to the city this week after archaeologists in Portsmouth used freeze-drying techniques to preserve them.

Raised from the muddy riverbank 20 years ago, the "unique" ship has won admirers such as TV historian Dan Snow, who this week called on its custodians to invest in its future success.

The council has now said it will begin a feasibility study to find a permanent new home for the ship, which once reassembled will be too big for its current warehouse.

A painting showing the Newport ship docking in its final resting place on the banks of the Usk.

"I’m delighted the latest stage of the project to conserve and reassemble the Newport Medieval Ship has been successfully completed," said Jane Mudd, the city council's leader.

"The ship is a significant piece of Newport’s history, saved by the collective power of our residents, the archaeological community, and the project partners.

"Newport has so much to offer, and we want to celebrate our history and culture and ensure that it is preserved so that future generations know our story."

Council leader Jane Mudd is 'delighted' the ship's timbers have been returned to Newport for reassembly. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

The ship was discovered in the banks of the River Usk in 2002 during construction work for the Riverfront Theatre.

Its timbers were disassembled and lifted out of a side channel piece by piece, with work finishing in spring 2003.

On Thursday this week, the project, led by the council and its partners at the Friends of Newport Ship (FONS), took delivery of the final batch of timbers from specialist conservation contractor, Mary Rose Archaeological Services.

File photo showing the excavation of the Newport Ship.

"The next stage of the project will be to begin the complex reassembly of the dried ship timbers, which has been called one of the world’s largest 3D jigsaw puzzles," the city council said in a statement.

"The council will also be undertaking a feasibility study into finding a permanent home for the ship.

"Due to the size of the vessel and the complexity of the reassembly process it cannot be housed in the current warehouse or museum and art gallery."

Earlier this week, historian and TV presenter Mr Snow enthused over the ship's potential to bring in tourism, claiming it had the potential to rival the Mary Rose, in Portsmouth, as an attraction - but only if the city was willing to invest in the project.

"You have to spend money, there are upfront costs of course to building museums, to building a world-class centre," he told BBC Radio Wales. "But you’re going to see that paid back… over generations, the rewards will be there. Once it’s built it’ll be there forever and it’ll bring people to Newport."