“The Sutton Hoo site is of considerable importance to our understanding of so many different aspects of life for our forebears in early England.  What could be a more dramatic way of bringing it to life than the resurrection of this imposing royal vessel and its launch on the nearby river?  I have to admire the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company – a group of like-minded people giving lots of time and even more thought to this Ship build. I can see that they will succeed, because of the science behind the project, because of the organisation but even more because of the will to do so.  It is also good to know that world leading experts, like the Viking Ship people at a Roskilde in Denmark, are supporting the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company team.  As a former Chair of the National Trust I am delighted by the prospect that in the end, the recreated ship may be hauled up the hill, just like the original, to make the Sutton Hoo site whole again”.

Sir Simon Jenkins FSA FSRL

Simon Jenkins is a journalist and author who has written on London throughout his career. He is the former chairman of the National Trust, and writes a column twice weekly for the Guardian and weekly for the London Evening Standard. He edited and contributed to the Times as well as writing for the Economist, Country Life and the Sunday Times. His books include works on London, the press and British politics.

Sir Simon Jenkins has sponsored twelve ‘Rivet and Roves’ thereby helping to fund the re-creation of the Sutton Hoo Ship. On this Simon said, ‘When I was chair of the National Trust I was pleased to visit Sutton Hoo and learn more about our cultural heritage. Now as one of the patrons I am pleased to contribute towards this magnificent project’.

Simons rivets are 300, 700, 900, 1300, 1500, 1600, 1900, 2100, 3200, 3300, 3400 and 3500. The location of each rivet on the ship is determined by the rivet map produced during the 1939 excavations. So for example we know that rivet 300 is adjacent to rib 23, on the port side of the stern. When this rivet is added Simon will be alerted so that he can review its progress!