Conference considers plans
for the Newport Ship
The Newport Ship in its Context
- Research, Conservation and Display
UWCN - 10th May 2003
2. Excavating the Ship
by Kate Howell
The second speaker, Kate Howell, described the chronology of the excavation with its progression of discoveries. As the contracted site archaeologist working for the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT), Kate was intimately involved in the discovery of the ship. She supervised every major find associated with the excavation and was able to give an overview of the recovery detailing each of the key stages with graphic illustrations.
Kate Howell examines timber shores that supported the ship during repairs,
discovered after the removal of the strake planking
Is the vessel even earlier than first thought?
The gradual uncovering of the overlying quayside and post-mediaeval wooden drains and, eventually, the ship itself naturally raised questions about the reasons why the vessel had come to be abandoned on the banks of the river Usk? Evidence of a unique supporting cradle beneath the vessel and the remains of a human skeleton added further fuel to theories about her final demise. Were repairs abandoned because of the death? Had the cradle been used before or had it been especially made for this ship? The shoring timbers retained some of the original outer bark and have been dated to 1457 only two years later than the first dated ship timber. Combined with new evidence of earlier timbers reported by Nigel Nayling speculation abounded as to whether the vessel was possibly older than first reported. Beneath the ship a substantial rope had been uncovered running the length of the keel and is thought to have been used to haul her up the bank on a spring tide.
Repairs
There was certainly plenty of evidence of a series of repairs to the fabric of the vessel which was of mainly oak construction. Additional water pumps had been installed and the keel appears to have been replaced at some point with a new beech timber that shows significant less wear and worm holes compared with the adjacent strake planking. Inside the hull significant fractures to the structural stringers and the mast step section of the keelson show clear evidence of running repairs. Had she foundered in a storm losing rigidity in the mast and been forced to limp into port never to leave again? Major repair works are also indicated by a carefully cut doorway and steps constructed in the starboard side of the hull which would have been used to gain easy access to the hold.
After being abandoned the upper deck structure appears to have been removed and the side frames on the port side cut off at about two metres above the keel. The Starboard frames are about four metres high although the whole of the starboard side has collapsed outwards onto the riverbank at some point. Sixteen strakes have been recorded on the port side while over twice as many (thirty four) have been recorded on the starboard side. It was evident that some salvage had taken place in the succeeding years but perhaps not as much as one might usually expect.
Ms. Howell reported on some other new finds uncovered at a late stage including a further length of post-mediaeval wooden drain and some compass timbers thought to be of late mediaeval date. She concluded by reminding the audience that the discovery is a major archaeological site as well as a remarkable ship find and there is now a need to look to the future. Kate Howell is an archaeologist with the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT) and was supervising site archaeologist responsible for the Newport ship excavation.
Kate Howell is an archaeologist working with GGAT.She was supervising
site archaeologist on the excavation of the Newport mediaeval ship.
Summary of the presentation prepared by Ron McCormick
10th June 2003
Individual papers
1. "Need the excitement be a nightmare?" by George Lambrick
2. Excavating the Ship by Kate Howell
3. The Wood Record by Nigel Nayling
4. Waterlogged Wood Conservation - an Overview by Kate Hunter
5. The Post Excavation Process by Sean McGrail
6. Future Planning Considerations for the Newport Ship by Gustav Milne
The Newport Medieval Ship in its Context
- Research, Conservation and Display
Saturday 10th May 2003
University of Wales College Newport
Caerleon,
Newport,
South Wales, UK
Organised by UWCN in association with
the Friends of the Newport Ship
and Chepstow Archaeological Society