Newport Ship under threat
- your help is needed again
The future of the Newport Ship is once again under threat. Please read more to see what is happening and find yout what you can do about it.
Please click on one of the following links:
- South Argus article - 19/02/03
- New threat to ship - an open letter
- Sample letter and addresses - how you can
help
South Wales Argus article - 19th February 2003
New Threat to Ship
An open letter to supporters of the Newport Mediaeval Ship
Posted 4th March 2003
Dear Friend,
This letter has gone out to our email list of contacts.
In the light of recent Press Reports there appears to be a potential conflict between the council's stated intention to recover the Bow and Stern in the near future and the fact they have no archaelogical consultants in place and may bankrupt their current contractors, GGAT.
If the answers to the questions below are not sensible and add to delays in establishing the conservation of the ship there is a risk that the ship will be lost - this not an alarmist statement - if the Council have no sensible plans, the ship could be lost. The vessel could simply be allowed to rot at Llanwern.
Consequently we would urge you to please write asking the following questions - we enclose a sample letter and a list of addresses.
Write to the Council - Write to your MP - Write to your Assembly Member - Write to the Papers
The Friends of the Newport Ship are still campaigning for a full recovery and are asking people to write to your Member of Parliament, Assembly Members, the Leader of Newport Council, Sir Harry Jones and other local Councillors urging them to Save the Bow and the Stern. Supporterss should also consider sending a letter to the South Wales Argus, The Western Mail and other National Newspapers. Why not post your views on the BBC Wales "have your say" website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/yoursay/topics/ship.shtml
A
sample letter is given below and may be used as it is or may be personalised
to better reflect your feelings about the matter. A list of MPs is
enclosed and may be downloaded from Chepstow Archaeological Society
-
http://www.chepstow.org.uk
Friends of the Newport Ship, 3-4 North Street, Newport, South Wales, NP20 1JZ UK.Other up to the minute information can also be had at the Council for British Archaeolgy (CBA) - http://www.britarch.ac.uk/sosnewport
Sample letter Re. Newport Ship Again
(Your address)
Sir Harry Jones, (Or your local Councillor, MP, Assembly Member or Council Officer etc)
Newport City Council,
Civic Centre,
Newport
South Wales, NP20 4UR
Dear Sir Harry Jones,
Newport's Mediaeval Ship
I am writing to express my continuing concern over the Newport Medieval ship and its future. This ship is a remarkable find that, following restoration, will prove to be a significant feature of Newport and Wales' maritime heritage and will attract visitors from all over Britain and the world. It will raise Newport's international profile and help consolidate its status as a city.
Newport City Council recently publicly announced in the Press that the Bow and Stern are to be recovered. However
I am concerned about the recent presse stories concerning the Bow and Stern recovery whilst there is no archaelogical firm currently contracted to undertake this work and your council is in dispute with GGAT. I am also concerned about the longer term future of the Ship.
I would like the Council's considered response to the following points.
1. Is there a Management Plan for the post excavation work on the Newport Ship, including cleaning and recording the timbers and small finds, specialist reports including dating and provenancing the ship, computerised reconstruction, publication, and conservation prior to re-assembly? (This would need to be done before specifications can be drawn up for costing, which in turn would be needed before the total cost can be estimated and the money raised.)
2. Has the Council set up an advisory panel to assist with development of the Management Plan, and who are the members?
3. Has the Council considered appointing specialist archaeological/early ship consultants to manage the Ship project. This is separate from appointing archaeological contractors and would allow expert supervision of work done for the Council?
4. Has the Council contingency plans for the recovery of the Prow and Stern?
5. Has the Council taken expert advice on the requirements for reconstructing a ship of this size in an enclosed subterranean area. Has it been the subject of a feasibilty study?
6. Are the Council intending to produce and make public new costings for the whole project?
7. Has the Council investigated alternative funding including the setting up a a charitable trust to raise funds for the project?
8. Has the council appointed alternative archaeological contractors for the recovery of the bow and stern, in view of the need to recover in March?
It is unthinkable that this unique ship is not recovered in its entirety and then sensibly managed, with a carefully planned programme of research, conservation and sensible display.
Yours sincerely,
(signature)
(Type Your Name)
(Date)
Please feel free to amend this letter and add your own views.
Addrees
lists are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Click on logo to download
a free copy of ACROBAT READER.To download a copy of this letter please click here
To download a copy of the address list please click here Do it today
Why not encourage your personal contacts to also send an Email to one or more on the list? The more correspondence we can generate in the next few weeks the greater the pressure and the more likely it is that the council will eventually submit to public opinion.