For those interested, more on the 15th century Newport Ship from the CBA.
Details of how to express your support for the campaign are online at
www.britarch.ac.uk/SOSnewport/
Dan Hicks
University of Bristol
www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Archaeology/graduate/
----- Original Message -----
From: Alex Hunt <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY BODIES WEIGH IN TO SUPPORT NEWPORT'S SAVE OU R
SHIP CAMPAIGN
Press Release
For Immediate Release
15th August 2002
NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY BODIES WEIGH IN TO SUPPORT NEWPORT'S SAVE OUR SHIP
CAMPAIGN
The Council for British Archaeology and CBA Wales/Cymru the archaeology
umbrella bodies for Britain and Wales have leant their considerable weight
to the local campaign to save the medieval Newport ship . The CBA is
helping the local Save Our Ship campaign to go national (and international)
through a new website at www.britarch.ac.uk/SOSnewport, which goes live
today. It will help people all over Britain to join an e-mail campaign over
the next ten days to persuade Newport Council and national heritage bodies
to save the finest medieval ship ever found in Britain .
Francis Pryor, President of the CBA said
'Culture and history go hand-in-hand. You can't have one without the other.
People want to see the real past, not some virtual reality model. It would
be vandalism to found a cultural centre on the remains of a treasure of
national and international importance like this without making the effort to
save it.'
Jenny Britnell, Secretary of CBA Wales/Cymru said
'This find is very special to Wales: it is not the first medieval boat to
be found in the area - but it is by far the most impressive. The others
were worth lifting and preserving - this one is twenty times more so. This
could really bring the origins of Newport and Wales's medieval dealings with
Europe alive for future generations. This is a European cultural catalyst
for Wales's newest City'
George Lambrick, Director of the CBA said
Let's not scupper the chance of turning this fantastic find into a real
asset for Newport. The key thing is to lift the timbers scientifically and
get them into temporary storage tanks so that the possibility of long-term
preservation can be explored without further holding up the work. Deciding
only to make a record and keep a sample is not good enough - it immediately
closes down a whole range of options for the future, which need careful
assessment and planning.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1) The Council for British Archaeology is an educational charity that
promotes knowledge, appreciation and care of the historic environment for
present and future generations on a UK-wide basis, with a membership of over
500 heritage organisations and c.10,000 subscribing individuals of all ages.
CBA Wales/Cymru undertakes this role in Wales
2) The Newport Ship has been described as a cross between a cog and a Viking
longship, tree-ring dated to the winter of 1465/6 and apparently recently
returned from Portugal, with loads of Portuguese pottery and large lumps of
cork. Unique in northern Europe, she is the only extant example of a
merchantman of this period.
3) Contact details for the Newport Save our Ship campaign can be found on
the website at http:/www.britarch.ac.uk/sosnewport/contacts.html
4) Newport Council already recognizes that the ship is an important find -
see http://www.newport.gov.uk/news/
5) The ship was found during foundation works for the orchestra pit of a new
Theatre and Arts Centre, which is being funded with grants from the Arts
Council for Wales. The Welsh Assembly and Cadw have so far made over
£350,000 available to suspend construction and enable the recording work to
take place, but there is currently no plan to save more than a small sample
of key timbers.
6) Following recording and sampling, the majority of the ship is currently
due to be bulldozed over the 26/27 August public holiday
7) For more information contact Alex Hunt Tel: 01904 671417
Issued by the Council for British Archaeology, Bowes Morrell House, 111
Walmgate, York. YO1 9WA
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