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The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company

A Registered Charity 1175475 reconstructing the Sutton Hoo Ship

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  • About Us
    • Aims and Objectives
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    • The People
    • John Gallas, The Ship’s Poet
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  • Support Us
    • Fund a Fixing
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    • Sponsors
      • Fixing Sponsors
        • Strake Rivet and Rove Sponsors
        • Plank Joint Rivet Sponsors
        • Rib Bolt Sponsors
        • Iron Spike Sponsors
        • Keel Scarf Bolt Sponsors
      • Oar Sponsors
      • Sponsorship Progress
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  • The Dig
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    • Phase 1: Design
    • Phase 2: Build
    • Phase 3: Trials
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  • Crowdfunder

The Anglo-Saxon Ship, buried in the 7th century and reborn in the 21st

In the corner of England now called Suffolk, an Anglo-Saxon king’s burial ship and treasure lay hidden underground. Dormant for over thirteen centuries in the mysterious Sutton Hoo royal burial ground, all that remained of the ship was a shadow of its former awe-inspiring glory.

Developing the Sutton Hoo story, the King’s ship will be resurrected to its full ninety-foot length in The Longshed, Woodbridge. From there it will slip once more into the King’s River to grace the waters and tides again, reconnecting our Anglo-Saxon maritime heritage with a modern-day sense of discovery.

By sponsoring a part of the ship or offering us a donation, you will help fund a £1 million project to build a full-size reconstruction of the 7th century Sutton Hoo ship.  

We are running a 4 week crowdfunding campaign to get the project back to a flying start after lockdown   

This venture will bring together archaeologists, historians, experts in construction and shipbuilding and many other skilled volunteers to reconstruct the mysterious ghost ship which was buried for 13 centuries beneath the sand of Sutton Hoo.

We currently have more than 3,500 numbered metal rivets for £20 each and a number of other fittings and oars on offer for sponsorship. What’s more, each of these fixings will be numbered giving you the chance to map your piece of the ship once it is constructed.

Gift Sponsorship – why not sponsor a rivet for someone as a gift. All you need to do is purchase your rivet and tell us who it is for. We can ship the collectors pin badge and certificate directly to your friend, relative or colleague or we can send it to you to pass on.

  • Ship’s Oar

    £1,000.00
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  • Strake Rivet and Rove #1 – #500

    Select options
  • Strake Rivet and Rove #501 – #1000

    £20.00
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  • Strake Rivet and Rove #1001 – #1500

    £20.00
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  • Strake Rivet and Rove #1501 – #2000

    £20.00
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  • Strake Rivet and Rove #2501 – #3000

    £20.00
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  • Strake Rivet and Rove #2001 – #2500

    £20.00
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  • Strake Rivet and Rove #3000 – #3500

    £20.00
    Select options
  • Plank Joint Rivet

    £50.00
    Select options
  • Rib Bolt

    £100.00
    Select options
  • Keel Scarf Bolts (Sold Out)

    £150.00
    Select options
  • Iron Spike

    £100.00
    Select options

The Project

Long long ago, an Anglo-Saxon noble was buried within a 90 foot ship in a mound at Sutton Hoo, just across the river from Woodbridge, in Suffolk. He was almost certainly King Raedwald, who died c 624. The ship was first discovered in 1939 but not much remained of the original ship, just the impressive…

Read more The Project

Getting Involved

There are so many ways to get involved with this exciting project… If you are interested in becoming a patron, sponsoring the project, sponsoring a part of the ship, donating, volunteering or just visiting, please read on…

Read more Getting Involved

The People

The Ship’s Company Team is a group of people with the collective desire to resurrect King Raedwald’s burial ship and turn the famous ghost imprint into a living reality. The team bring their life experience and professionalism to the project to enable the British public to experience one of the most exciting reconstructions of our…

Read more The People

SUPPORTERS

Recent Posts

  • Tim Kirk’s Shipwright’s report for March
  • The Other Team on “The Dig” – Joe Startin
  • An Experience of Photogrammetry by Andy Spencer
  • Joe Startin Speculates, ‘Did the Sutton Hoo Ship Sail?’ (Part 4)
  • Tim Kirk’s Shipwright’s Report for February
  • The Nautical Archaeology Society review #thedig and gives us a mention
  • The true story behind The Dig by the National Trust
  • Why this famed Anglo-Saxon ship burial was likely the last of its kind
  • BBC Culture feature ‘The Dig’
  • Arrival of our keel log!
  • What on earth is experimental archaeology?
  • Shipwright’s report – January 2021 – Tim Kirk

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF8WfTkI2e4
A two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF8WfTkI2e4
A two minute overview of the Sutton Hoo Ship build from Julian Whitewright, Ship's Co Director and Professor at Southampton University who also shares what he thinks about #thedig 👍🏼

#suttonhooship #suttonhoo #shipburial #choosewoodbridge #thelongshed #soton

(2/2) Following the earlier diagram showing how th
(2/2) Following the earlier diagram showing how the keel blank is being extracted from the keel trees, here are some real photos of the 'Cutting Crew' in action although. 

Oh, and 'The Last Thing', they made a 'Big Noise' and you can see 'The Scattering' of sawdust on the floor (sorry, couldn't resist it!)

To support the ship
-Visit our Crowdfunder appeal for some unique rewards
-Sponsor a rivet and be part of the ongoing legacy www.saxonship.org

#suttonhooship #suttonhoo #thedig #woodenboats #shipbuilding #axe #thelongshed #oak #choosewoodbridge #chainsawcarving #powertools #cuttingcrew

(1/2) This week we have been extracting the keel b
(1/2) This week we have been extracting the keel blanks from the oak trees sourced from Swindon in the UK.

In this instance, a decision was made to use modern cutting methods to obtain the rough and oversized shape of the keel to avoid the risk of anything going wrong with such expensive timber. As a charity that is raising money as we go, we really couldn’t afford to lose either tree to uncontrollable splitting had be used mallets and wedges.

The blanks that have been cut are larger than needed and will be fashioned into the correct shape and dimension using traditional axe work. The diagram shows where the straight keel blank has been taken from. The lower section of the tree will be hewn into traditional wedge shapes for planking using mallets and wedges like our ancestors. 

Very shortly the blanks will be transported to the Longshed in Woodbridge where they will be placed on trestles alongside the strongback structure which has been designed to cradle the keel. 

To support the ship
-Visit our Crowdfunder appeal for some unique rewards http://ow.ly/ewY650EkG6E
-Sponsor a rivet and be part of the ongoing legacy http://ow.ly/HXUc50EkG6G

#suttonhooship #suttonhoo #thedig #woodenboats #shipbuilding #axe #thelongshed #oak #choosewoodbridge #chainsawcarving

http://ow.ly/Qhc450EkJIy
We were visited by the lo

http://ow.ly/Qhc450EkJIy
We were visited by the local press yesterday to help raise awareness of our fundraising campaign and look who just happened to be passing by #juleshudson #suttonhooship #suttonhoo #eadt #thelongshed #choosewoodbridge #supportneeded saxonship.org

We were lucky enough to appear on BBC look East th
We were lucky enough to appear on BBC look East three times yesterday to explain what we are doing and why we are fundraising. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ttxh/look-east-evening-news-02042021 We need to thank the one-man crew @nibbycam for his own enthusiasm and patience! We were blessed with a lovely day and plenty of ‘fresh’ air. Saxonship.org #bbclookeast #suttonhooship #choosewoodbridge #thedig #shipbuilding #boatbuilding #happyeaster

http://ow.ly/7KnJ50E9KI3 If you have ever wondered
http://ow.ly/7KnJ50E9KI3 If you have ever wondered where we are, our What3Words says we have a 'gifted structure'. How true! How funny or appropriate are your three words?

saxonship.org #suttonhooship #choosewoodbridge #thedig #what3words #boathouse #comeandfindus

http://ow.ly/Sy3E50E8n4s

This series of photos sh
http://ow.ly/Sy3E50E8n4s

This series of photos show how Basil Brown's #thedig at #suttonhoo got turned into a digital plan and then a CGI model! All we need now is to complete the replica which actually starts on Monday.

To see the CGI model moving on the water just click on our crowdfunder link to access the video and while you are there check out the pair of limited edition A3 prints that you could receive as a reward. They would make a great gift or look fantastic on your wall.

Please share so that we can raise the funds that we need to complete the ship!

#suttonhooship #wallart #basilbrown #archeology #netflixthedig #excavation #shipbuilding #choosewoodbridge #interiordesignideas #ironwork #thelongshed #woodbridge #boatbuilding #riverlife #perfectgift


Working with axes can be a dangerous pastime so we
Working with axes can be a dangerous pastime so we have worked with a local company to develop a protective leather apron for our volunteers to use. These have proven to be very popular and a thing of beauty so we have asked Gibbins of Suffolk to create a unisex domestic version of the apron for our crowdfunder appeal. As you can see they are really lovely and ideal for for something special in the kitchen, shed, or garden and of course when barbecuing now the weather is improving!

To support our crowdfunding appeal please follow this link http://ow.ly/bAAA50E6eiQ

#suttonhooship #suttonhoo #toolshed #garden #gardener #tools #handyman #fathersdaygift #thedig #toolsofthetrade # #barbeque #eastergift #choosewoodbridge #thelongshed #archeology #shipbuilding #boatbuilding #baking #bespokeleather #embroidery #print #gibbinsuk

Looking at this photo it is hard to believe how mu
Looking at this photo it is hard to believe how much snow we had back in February when we were recording the film for our Crowdfunder. This cut didn't make the mix as the glare from the snow was playing havoc with all the settings. If you watch the film in the link below you will see that we had to turn out backs on the river Deben and the lovely Tide Mill to get the lighting right. 

http://ow.ly/4QaN50E6b0R

All contributions towards our crowdfunder will help us to get back up to speed once we reopen plus we have some unique rewards on offer so it's well worth a look. 

Please share as far and wide as possible!

#suttonhooship #crowdfunder #filming #choosewoodbridge #covid19 #thedig #rowing #pleaseshare #suttonhoo #businessowner #shipbuilding #boatbuilding #sailing

Here in Woodbridge, Suffolk we are recreating the
Here in Woodbridge, Suffolk we are recreating the Sutton Hoo ship that featured in the Netflix film #thedig. Woodbridge is just across the river from the Sutton Hoo burial site that is featured in the film. 

Our crowdfunding page has the first CGI video of what the ship will look like on the water.  To help us turn our digital plans into a magnificent vessel for forty real (rather than animated) people to row, please support this historic project.

http://ow.ly/2EiQ50E48QZ 

#suttonhooship #saxonship #suttonhoo #lockdown2021 #worldrowing #suffolk #choosewoodbridge #CGI #amazingfilms #worldrowing

Did you get a chance to watch #escapetothecountry
Did you get a chance to watch #escapetothecountry this afternoon. A lovely way to see beautiful Suffolk in all its glory and hopefully a bit of an insight into what we are doing in #thelongshed in #woodbridge. If you were enthused by the replica of the #suttonhooship you can visit our website to see how you can support us, get involved or sign up for the Newsletter.

We would like to thank Jules Hudson and his film crew for being so patient and enthusiastic about what we are doing. Jules couldn't wait to get inside the model and see what it would have felt like for the saxons. 

Yesterday we launched a new Crowdfunder to help us get back up to speed after the covid restrictions are lifted, the rewards are wonderful and well worth a look http://ow.ly/1dJl50DZZ8F

http://ow.ly/kryC50DZZ42

Tune in to see us alongside Jules Hudson in 'Escap
Tune in to see us alongside Jules Hudson in 'Escape to the Country' in one hour at 3pm on BBC1 #suttonhooship #escapetothecountry #saxonhistory #afternoontv

Announcing our new funding venture with unseen CGI
Announcing our new funding venture with unseen CGI footage of the #suttonhooship on the water. We will be posting a lot more information about the unique rewards attached to different donations. Let's get this ship on the water #choosewoodbridge #thedig #experimentalarchaeology #anglosaxonhistory #boat #ship #crew http://ow.ly/HGq550DZwYh

Anyone feel like a quick 'Escape to the Country'?
Anyone feel like  a quick 'Escape to the Country'?
Sadly for many that's not possible just yet but if you tune into the BBC1 at 3pm tomorrow you will see us talking to Jules Hudson about the #suttonhooship replica. Hopefully they didn't edit the bit where Jules is testing the rowing position in the model of the centre section. They were such a friendly and patient film crew 😁 #escapetothecountry #saxonship #suttonhoo #thedig #rowing #choosewoodbridge #thelongshed #oar #shipbuilding #woodenboat

#internationalwomensday2021
These days the route

#internationalwomensday2021 
These days the route into Shipbuilding is not quite so secretive for women as it was for Mary Lucy, the amazing woman who posed as a man to get onboard the HMS Sandwich. 

At the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company we are keen for any talented women with boatbuilding skills to join our volunteer team. 

We were very lucky to have Jo Wood join us in 2019 offering the boat building skills she learned at the International Boat Training College (IBTC) in Lowestoft.

At 34, Jo decided she needed a change and volunteered to work with a charity in Sudan for a year.  This was the start of her international career.  There were a few sailing opportunities along the way, notably in Sudan – “We raced up and down the Nile in metal hull racing dinghies dating back to British Colonial times”, and also in Geneva, Switzerland where she got to take part in the Bol d’Or, the race to the end of Lake Geneva and back.

By 2016 it was time for another change and Jo chose to come home to England – but not quite directly.  She handed in her notice with her Swiss employer and went adventuring. The adventure was made more thrilling with an unexpected stop in Canada to avoid a hurricane!

Jo decided to work less and do more fun things instead.  Serious fun though because she started a year-long boat-building course in Lowestoft, with a focus on wooden boat building techniques. “I learnt to tell the difference from one end of a chisel to another and got my City & Guilds certificate in Boatbuilding.  So she looked around for opportunities develop her skills and somehow stumbled across the Sutton Hoo ship project.

#suttonhooship #thedig #anglosaxonhistory #shipbuilding #boatbuilding #choosewoodbridge @saxonship.org

Nate Hathaway asked, “Name a famous woman boat b
Nate Hathaway asked, “Name a famous woman boat builder or shipwright?” at a staff meeting at The Apprenticeshop, who build wooden boats in Rockland, USA and very quickly they came up with the amazing story of Mary Lacy who at the age of 19, dressed as a man for her own protection and ran away to Chatham in 1759. She was recruited to the unsuspecting Royal Navy, as a servant to the ship’s master on HMS Sandwich. Having learnt carpentry and book-keeping, she was released at the end of the Seven Years’ War in 1763. Following that she took up an apprenticeship at Chatham Dockyard and excelling at her work, graduated as a Shipwright in 1770. 
When later married in 1773 and living in Deptford, she published her sensational autobiography about her amazing achievements. What an incredible woman.
We at the Ship’s Company have a tenuous connection with Rockland as George Whisstock left Whisstock’s Boatyard in 1987 to set up his own design venture. The Whisstock’s site in Woodbridge was closed in 1991, eventually to be redeveloped and include the construction of the Longshed where we are reconstructing the Sutton Hoo Ship. George continues to export his self-build Computer Aided Designs around the world from his home in Rockwell. http://ow.ly/wQmp30rzIxu

What better day than #worldbookday to let you know
What better day than #worldbookday to let you know that very soon you can get hold of a signed copy of Martin Carver's book, 'The Sutton Hoo Story' by contributing to our crowdfunder appeal. More details to follow but in the meantime take a look at our website www.saxonship.org to see how we are recreating a full size replica of the Sutton Hoo Ship. Happy Reading 😀
#watchthisspace #thedig #suttonhoo #saxonship #historylesson #anglosaxonhistory #basilbrown #archaeology #history #goodread #shipbuilding #saxonship

Progress! We have been experimenting with photogra
Progress! We have been experimenting with photogrammetry as a way of recording each component of the ship as we make it. Here you can see a replica Anglo Saxon clamp used to hold planks together while they are being fixed into place. This image has taken several attempts to achieve but perseverance paid off. You can read more about this journey in our Feb newsletter which is being issued next week. To signup just visit our website saxonship.org and find the details in the top menu bar.  #suttonhooship #suttonhoo #photogrammetry #thedig #experimentalarchaeology

Those that subscribe to our monthly Newsletter wil
Those that subscribe to our monthly Newsletter will be familiar with John Gallas, the Sutton Hoo Ship's resident poet. 

John has been writing Saxon poems for us for more than a year which can be viewed on our website saxonship.org

You can see John in action here, reading 'Through Choppy Waters'  https://saxonship.org/john-gallas-poet/john-gallas-reading-through-choppy-waters/

John was born in New Zealand and had a happy childhood tramping, skiing and climbing mountains. He saw Jesse Owens in action and met Ed Hillary on a glacier so he has had plenty of inspiration. He has also sat on top of Hochstetter Dome and is still in love with Mt Robert and Lake Rotoiti.

To encourage more people to enjoy the art of writing in 'Saxon', John has written 7 short 'do-it-yourself' workshops starting with 'Week 1: Making Acquaintances' . This workshop looks at famous Saxon poetry such as Beowulf, The Wanderer and The Seafarer'. Following John's guidance you will explore the art of Saxon writing ready for next week when you can start to have a go. 

John is happy to read and appraise your work and the #suttonhooship will publish the best in the Newsletter and on the Website.

To find the full details of lesson one go to https://saxonship.org/john-gallas-poet/write-like-a-saxon-by-john-gallas/

#suttonhoo #beowulf #anglosaxonhistory #culturalheritage #poetry #johngallas #thedig #anglosaxon #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity #shiplap

Today a number of Ship's Co volunteers were record
Today a number of Ship's Co volunteers were recording a broadcast with Ben Avery from Australia's 9News channel.

The #thedig film released by #Netflix at the end of January has raised worldwide interest. Here Jacq Barnard, Project Manager, is discussing the rowing requirements and the many questions about  seating positions, number of oarsman, maneuverability and communication which is all part of the experimental archeology alongside the building methods, use and social aspect of a ship like this in 625. The film crew will be sharing their footage so keep an eye out for that on our YouTube channel, 'The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company', in a few weeks time. If you are in Australia and see the feature on TV, drop us a line to tell us what you think at contact@saxonship.org  #experimentalarchaeology #rowing #crew #9newsaustralia #suttonhooship #suttonhoo #anglosaxon #problemsolving


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How to donate to the project

Your support is vital to the success of the project. You can make a donation by using this button or you can sponsor a part of the ship by going to the 'Fund a Fixing' page

We are reliant on funding from a wide range of sources so if you would like to make a donation please use the 'donate' button below.

Alternatively you may transfer your donation directly to The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company bank account. Sort Code 20-45-45 Account Number 80987670 - thank you

Click on the button below to donate via PayPal - Thank you

You can keep in contact with the project by signing up to the Newsletter which will advise you how you can get involved in other ways.

Charity Number: 1175475

Anglo-Saxon Ship Newsletter

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Contact

For general and sponsorship enquiries please email contact@saxonship.org

For press enquiries please email: jab@saxonship.org

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