A giant 600-year-old ship dug up from a muddy riverbank will be seen sailing again - as a restoration team is building an exact replica.
The medieval boat was found almost fully preserved when it was dug up on a building site 15 years ago.
And supporters of the historic trading boat, the Newport Ship, want to create a like-for-like replica, that will be river worthy and able to sail...
The return of the Newport Ship: Restoration team is building an exact replica of a medieval boat that sailed between England and Portugal 600 years ago
The 15th century ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in 2002
Experts believe the boat was used for trading missions between England and Portugal
They are working to create a like-for-like replica that will be able to sail
But they believe that it will take up to ten years to create the replica
By Shivali Best For Mailonline
1 May 2017
A giant 600-year-old ship dug up from a muddy riverbank will be seen sailing again - as a restoration team is building an exact replica.
The medieval boat was found almost fully preserved when it was dug up on a building site 15 years ago.
And supporters of the historic trading boat, the Newport Ship, want to create a like-for-like replica, that will be river-worthy and able to sail.
A giant 600-year-old ship dug up from a muddy riverbank will be seen sailing again - as a restoration team is building an exact replica
The 116-feet long wooden ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent, in 2002 when it was unearthed by archaeologists during the building of an arts centre.
Experts believe the boat was used for trading missions between England and Portugal during the 15th century - and the timbers used in its construction have been traced to northern Spain.
The giant boat is one of the biggest boats built of its time - and could carry a cargo of 200 tons.
It has since been adopted by Friends of Newport Ship and held at a specialist centre in the city in a climate-controlled environment where it can be visited by schools and tourists.
Friends of Newport Ship are working with a specialist heritage group in Spain to build the replica model but chairman Philip Cox said it would take time to build.
The medieval boat was found almost fully preserved when it was dug up on a building site 15 years ago
The 116-feet long wooden ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent, in 2002 when it was unearthed by archaeologists during the building of an arts centre
Experts believe the boat was used for trading missions between England and Portugal during the 15th century - and the timbers used in its construction have been traced to northern Spain
He said: 'The prospect of having a working replica of the 15th century merchant vessel returning to the Usk would be a wonderful sight.
'It would take around a decade to complete but we think it would be a magnificent sight to see the ship floating on the Usk once again.'
And Mr Cox said Basque group Albola would carry out the recreation work - to link with its European history.
Since the ship was discovered in 2002, precious wooden pieces of the ship have been kept in storage in a climate controlled room
The giant boat is one of the biggest boats built of its time - and could carry a cargo of 200 tons. It has since been adopted by Friends of Newport Ship and held at a specialist centre in the city in a climate-controlled environment where it can be visited by schools and tourists
He said: 'Our ship was Basque-built, built somewhere on the northern coast of Spain in the Basque Country.
'The timbers were cut from the forests probably behind Bilbao and brought long to somewhere near San Sebastian for the ship to be built, to be in service by 1451 - and only in 1451 was Columbus born.'
'For a number of years we have been in contact with Albaola.
Friends of Newport Ship are working with a specialist heritage group in Spain to build the replica model but chairman Philip Cox said it would take time to build
The restoration team thinks that the replica will take around a decade to complete. Pictured is Phil Cox, Newport Ship Chairman, holding a section from the ship
'They've always had an interest because we have the absolute designs for the ship, we have the physical ship, we have the model here in one-tenth scale.
'They can recreate that almost exactly.'
'The original ship will never sail again as it needs to stay in a climate controlled environment but a replica of what might have been would be great.'
Mr Cox said Basque group Albola would carry out the recreation work - to link with its European history
Pictured is the exact replica model of the ship that the restoration team in Newport is working on
The ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent, in 2002
The medieval boat was found almost fully preserved when it was dug up on a building site 15 years ago.
And supporters of the historic trading boat, the Newport Ship, want to create a like-for-like replica, that will be river worthy and able to sail...
The return of the Newport Ship: Restoration team is building an exact replica of a medieval boat that sailed between England and Portugal 600 years ago
The 15th century ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in 2002
Experts believe the boat was used for trading missions between England and Portugal
They are working to create a like-for-like replica that will be able to sail
But they believe that it will take up to ten years to create the replica
By Shivali Best For Mailonline
1 May 2017
A giant 600-year-old ship dug up from a muddy riverbank will be seen sailing again - as a restoration team is building an exact replica.
The medieval boat was found almost fully preserved when it was dug up on a building site 15 years ago.
And supporters of the historic trading boat, the Newport Ship, want to create a like-for-like replica, that will be river-worthy and able to sail.
A giant 600-year-old ship dug up from a muddy riverbank will be seen sailing again - as a restoration team is building an exact replica
The 116-feet long wooden ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent, in 2002 when it was unearthed by archaeologists during the building of an arts centre.
Experts believe the boat was used for trading missions between England and Portugal during the 15th century - and the timbers used in its construction have been traced to northern Spain.
The giant boat is one of the biggest boats built of its time - and could carry a cargo of 200 tons.
It has since been adopted by Friends of Newport Ship and held at a specialist centre in the city in a climate-controlled environment where it can be visited by schools and tourists.
Friends of Newport Ship are working with a specialist heritage group in Spain to build the replica model but chairman Philip Cox said it would take time to build.
The medieval boat was found almost fully preserved when it was dug up on a building site 15 years ago
The 116-feet long wooden ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent, in 2002 when it was unearthed by archaeologists during the building of an arts centre
Experts believe the boat was used for trading missions between England and Portugal during the 15th century - and the timbers used in its construction have been traced to northern Spain
He said: 'The prospect of having a working replica of the 15th century merchant vessel returning to the Usk would be a wonderful sight.
'It would take around a decade to complete but we think it would be a magnificent sight to see the ship floating on the Usk once again.'
And Mr Cox said Basque group Albola would carry out the recreation work - to link with its European history.
Since the ship was discovered in 2002, precious wooden pieces of the ship have been kept in storage in a climate controlled room
The giant boat is one of the biggest boats built of its time - and could carry a cargo of 200 tons. It has since been adopted by Friends of Newport Ship and held at a specialist centre in the city in a climate-controlled environment where it can be visited by schools and tourists
He said: 'Our ship was Basque-built, built somewhere on the northern coast of Spain in the Basque Country.
'The timbers were cut from the forests probably behind Bilbao and brought long to somewhere near San Sebastian for the ship to be built, to be in service by 1451 - and only in 1451 was Columbus born.'
'For a number of years we have been in contact with Albaola.
Friends of Newport Ship are working with a specialist heritage group in Spain to build the replica model but chairman Philip Cox said it would take time to build
The restoration team thinks that the replica will take around a decade to complete. Pictured is Phil Cox, Newport Ship Chairman, holding a section from the ship
'They've always had an interest because we have the absolute designs for the ship, we have the physical ship, we have the model here in one-tenth scale.
'They can recreate that almost exactly.'
'The original ship will never sail again as it needs to stay in a climate controlled environment but a replica of what might have been would be great.'
Mr Cox said Basque group Albola would carry out the recreation work - to link with its European history
Pictured is the exact replica model of the ship that the restoration team in Newport is working on
The ship was discovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent, in 2002
