A community project to rebuild the world-famous Sutton Hoo burial ship in Woodbridge, Suffolk, will move to an historic boatyard when its permission to use the council-owned Longshed ends. The lease agreement between the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company and Robertsons Boatyard ensures the ship’s continued connection with Woodbridge, where it is being built by a team of over 160 volunteers.
“We are very pleased to have come to an agreement with Robertsons Boatyard to adapt and use a large boat building workshop to provide all the facilities we will need in the future,” said Sean McMillan, Trustee and Chair of the Board of the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company. “The facility is just a five-minute walk from the Longshed where the current ship is being built, has a panoramic view of the River Deben, and being directly across the water from Sutton Hoo provides the perfect mooring spot for this ship and those that will follow,” McMillan added.
The 20-year lease agreement secures the future for a nationally and internationally significant archaeological project. The Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company charity was established in 2016 to reconstruct the 88-foot Anglo-Saxon burial ship using 7th century materials and techniques. It is on track to complete the £1.5 million build and launch the vessel on the River Deben in 2026.
The years of valuable knowledge, skills, and experience built up during the reconstruction will be put to good use at Robertsons Boatyard, creating a vibrant community space and centre for historic shipbuilding that celebrates Woodbridge’s maritime history and boatbuilding heritage while continuing to attract visitors.
“Robertsons Boatyard is delighted to be able to offer a new long term secure base for the historic ship,” the company said in a statement. “As a second-generation family business, we are proud to be providing a unique base for this venture on the banks of the River Deben, within the gaze of the Sutton Hoo burial ground. It is an opportunity to invest in the future while conserving the past. Robertsons Boatyard is pleased to provide the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company with a site and facilities to enable them to pursue their charitable aims, thus continuing the maritime traditions that have long been championed by boatyard communities all along the Deben,” it added.
The agreement will ensure essential maintenance and repairs can be carried out during the vessel’s envisaged 15-year lifespan – during which it will undergo an exciting programme of archaeologically important expeditions and sea trials – and will facilitate future projects.
“The Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company is made up of a growing and diverse cohort of local community volunteers whose knowledge and expertise has developed over years. It is wonderful to know that the ship and its community have found a place where they can continue to thrive,” said Project Manager Jacq Barnard.
In 2023, the Sutton Hoo Ship's Company volunteers won the Marsh Volunteer of the Year Award - Shipshape project at the National Historic Ships UK Awards.
Following the ship’s planned launch, the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company needs to vacate its current home in the custom-built community Longshed on Woodbridge’s busy Quayside development, where it hosts many thousands of visitors and has become an important and well-known tourist attraction in the town contributing to the local economy.
“We will be sorry to leave the Longshed, but we are all very excited for the next phase of this 1,400-year journey and are thrilled to have secured the ship’s legacy in its spiritual home of Woodbridge,” said McMillan. “We cannot think of a better partner than Robertsons Boatyard with its deep local roots, long maritime history, and innovative business approach.”
Source: Press release
Pictured: some of the award-winning volunteer team, credit Sutton Hoo Ship's Company
Read more about the Sutton Hoo Ship's Company, a NHS-UK Shipshape Network East project.
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