‘Difficult decisions’ for Medieval Ship project amid wait for permanent home

Some “difficult decisions” hang over Newport’s Medieval Ship project, amid ongoing uncertainty over the artefact’s future home.

Construction workers discovered the 15th-century ship in the banks of the River Usk in 2002 while building the city’s Riverfront Theatre.

Since then, the vessel’s rescued timbers have been taken away for preservation, with the intention of finding a permanent home locally for its reassembly and exhibition.

The city council has since commissioned independent specialists to explore the ship’s future and where it could be displayed in future.

Currently, the council pays to store the ship’s timbers at a visitor centre off Estuary Road, which is open to the public in the summer months each year, and a previous idea to exhibit the ship at the Riverfront has been abandoned because the space is “not suitable”.

The council’s leader, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, said cabinet members are expected to consider the independent options report “later this year”.

He said “a range of different options – some very expensive, some not” would be available, and added there would be “difficult decisions to make for the ship”. 

“There is no magic money tree out there in terms of supporting all the different things we need to support, but the report will be in cabinet, will be open to the public and opposition to look at,” he told a council meeting.

Cllr Batrouni added the ship is “a great piece of cultural and historical significance, and we continue with the research work in collaboration with Swansea University”.

Cllr Matthew Evans, who leads the Conservative group in opposition, said the ship was a “jewel in the crown” of the city, and was “one of Wales’ biggest historical finds”.

“I am disappointed little progress has been made over the last decade or so,” he said.

“Apparently supporters of the ship used to say they had some crumbs of comfort, now absolutely nothing.

“An additional tourist attraction to go with the likes of Tredegar House and the Transport Bridge would bring a huge boost to the local economy, and if it was placed in a central location would give our traders something to celebrate.

“So I’m disappointed we don’t appear to have made any progress because unless you find and establish a site, nothing else will follow.”

Cllr Batrouni rejected the claim there had been no progress and insisted a report on various options for the ship would be publicly available later this year, when it is presented to cabinet members.

“It’s an independent report – there is a lot of progress,” he said.

“In terms of getting sites, that is considered and reflected but it’s not an easy artefact to reconstruct in a place that is suitable, given its condition.”