The Discovery and

Documentation of the

Newport Ship:

Unlocking the secrets of

a medieval merchant

vessel found in Wales

Dr. Toby Jones

Newport Medieval Ship Project

Newport Museum, Wales, UK

RCAHMW Digital Past Conference

16 February 2017

THE NEWPORT MEDIEVAL SHIP: Background Information

•Discovered in Newport, Wales in 2002

•Built after AD 1449 (likely in the Basque

country of Northern Spain), with additional

British-grown timber fitted to the vessel

after AD 1465

•A late medieval example of a large

clinker-built merchant vessel (with 1000+

artefacts)

•Well-preserved by anoxic river sediments

•Capable of direct/long-duration voyages

•Substantial evidence of trade with the

Iberian Peninsula, especially Portugal.

•Ended its working life in Newport after the

spring of AD 1468

•Partially salvaged in antiquity

Digital Reconstruction and Analysis of the Newport Medieval Ship

Bilge pump sump with wicker strum basket in-situ

Positioning stanchions and other interior elements.

Recovered Deck Hatch

Digital Reconstruction and Analysis of the Newport Medieval Ship

The Newport Ship:

L.O.A. (between posts): 28.6 m

Length Extreme: 35.6 m

Beam: 8.9 m

Deadweight: 131,502 kg

Ballast Weight: 73,875 kg

Cargo Weight: 187,118 kg

Displacement: 392,495 kg

Draught: 3.8 m

Freeboard: 2.5 m

Weight to Immerse:

1789 kgf/cm

French silver petit blanc

coin found in

the keel/stem scarf joint.

Minted between

May and July 1447

PUBLICATION

ARCHIVING

Contact Information:

Dr. Toby Jones

toby.jones@newport.gov.uk

0044 (0)1633 274167

www.newport.gov.uk/ship

www.newportship.org