The Friends of the Newport ship have now launched their new website.

www.thenewportship.com

This CAS page is now a description of the SOS Campaign and the first six months of the Friends of the Newport Ship.

CBA
CBA SOS Newport Site
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/sosnewport

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This year National Archaeology Days are to be held on the 19th & 20th July 2003, sponsored by the Council for British Archaeology and CADW.

We have asked that Newport City Council and CORUS give Newport ratepayers the opportunity to visit the Newport Ship's timbers in storage at Llanwern?

The Friends of the Newport Ship would be happy to provide volunteer stewards and guides.

SAVE THE BOW AND STERN

Recover the Bow & Stern ? The stem & stern will complete the Ship, and may contain a name, figurehead or identifying feature. The stem section will tell how fast the vessel sailed, & might reveal where she was built. The stern will reveal the steering mechanism. To not recover them because the restored ship with stem and stern will not fit in the basement, as has been alleged, is literally "spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar".

Building work has recommenced on the orchestra pit basement and the coffer dam was removed in January. This will enable the bow and stern to be excavated but Newport City Council have yet to make public their plans to recover these important sections of the ship.

In Autumn 2002 they suggested that the bow and stern have been destroyed at some time in the past and there is little left to recover. How they concluded this without digging is beyond comprehension - but then we should remember that it is the same Council that originally stated that the ship timbers were not important and would be buried again!

On the other hand all the archaeological experts claim that there are bound to be significant timbers remaining outside the coffer dam. There was speculation that the City Council were trying to avoid further delays to the building programme and the associated costs.

We continue to ask interested parties to write letters to the City Council, Assembly Members and the Newspapers to encourage the Council to make that little extra effort and save the whole ship. We hope we can count on your support in this matter.

In August 2002 it had been formally announced that Newport City Council would destroy the substantial remains of a unique 25m medieval ship on the 27th August 2002, preserving less than 3%, to facilitate completion of the New Arts Centre to schedule.

The vessel answers a number of questions on the evolutionary step between a long ship shell/keel construction and a later trading caravel, and would have been typical of North European vessels upon which commerce relied, and which explored the Americas. Many of our great trading ports feature this type of vessel on their seals, and the ship is of International interest. In the Council Chair's own words "the ship is magnificent", and is the only extant example of an armed merchantman of this period. Timber has been dated to winter of 1465 and apparently was recently returned from Portugal, filled with pottery and large lumps of cork bark in the bilges. It has decking and superstructure still visible and was probably laid up for a refit and then abandoned. It is in an excellent state of preservation and since it is on land was highly suitable for recovery, and expert The Newport Save Our Ship Campaign queried the proposed destruction, and was supported by a number of eminent archaeologists, marine historians and yachtsmen.

SOS and CAS sought to draw this to the attention of the British public. A preserved ship would be an invaluable symbol of Britain's marine heritage, and the tourism and educational potential of this ship considerable, as important as the Vasa or Mary Rose.

The Vessel's loss would have been a complete act of vandalism. Before the campaign the bulldozers and diggers were to go in after the Bank Holiday on 27th August 2002.

Now the Campaign to preserve the bow and stern, establish the management plan, research agenda, conservation technique and a suitable display continues.....

CADW WELSH HISTORIC MONUMENTS 20 March 2003 Thank you for your email of 5 March to the Minister for Environment to which I have been asked to reply. You express concern that a recent dispute over funding between Newport City Council and its archaeological contractor, the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust, could jeopardise the future of the Newport Medieval Ship. These financial arrangements are a matter between Newport CC and the Trust but you will be pleased to learn that last week Newport agreed to release one of the payments and the Trust is no longer facing the financial difficulties previously reported in the Press. I understand that Newport is currently discussing the archaeological arrangements for recovering whatever survives of the bow and stern of the vessel. Once these remains have been recovered, the City Council, will be putting in place arrangements for further recording of the ship's timbers and their conservation, eventually leading to the reconstruction and display. It is at this stage that we will expect Newport to address the issue of a management plan and undertake any feasibility studies. The authority has indicated to us that they will wish to seek expert archaeological advice as part of this process. Yours sincerely RICHARD AVENT Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings

Campaign Diary from August 2002
For events since January, please see the Friends of the Newport Ship Site

6.00pm Tuesday 14th January - Social Evening

The national pub chain, J.D.Wetherspoon, is backing the campaign to save the bow and stern through its Newport - Cambrian Road branch, and sponsored a T- shirt and social evening. On the 14th January Wetherspoons staff and members wore this specially commissioned T-shirt to raise public awareness about the problem. Friends of the Newport Ship met at the pub in the evening and were featured on HTV evening news - they then enjoyed a meal and met other members.

SAVE THE BOW AND STERN

Attached is an example statement about the Bow & Stern situation and a sample letter which readers were free to use or amend to better express their personal view.

sosletter.pdf (Adobe) added 12th January 2003

sosletter.doc (Word) added 12th January 2003

A list of council members, MPs and Assembly Members was also attached. (These are attached in 2 file formats Acrobat PDF and MS Word.doc)

address.pdf (Adobe) added 12th January 2003

address.doc (Word) added 12th January 2003

A copy of the Save Our Stern T-shirt image is also attached.

sosshirt.pdf (Adobe) added 12th January 2003

If you do not have Acrobat Reader installed can get a free download from:

www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

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The Friends of Newport Ship SOS was formally launched 31st Augusr 2002. Double Click to open or download

SOSMembersh.pdf (Adobe) added 31st August 2002

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23.VIII.02 THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE SHIP TO BE RECOVERED TO CORUS 23.VIII.02

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Friday 23rd August. 24/7 vigil continued. According to the BBC, a public announcement was planned. SOS were ready with an injunction, should the decision be unacceptable.

Welsh Assembly & Newport City Council announce VESSEL APPARENTLY TO BE RECOVERED AND CONSERVED - BUT SEE ABOVE

SOS present petition to Jenny Randerson at the Welsh Assembly.
SOS will now become the Support Our Ship Group - friends of the Ship.
The people of Newport and their local, national and international supporters have ensured the Ship will be saved in principle.

THANK YOU.

For more links please see CBA SOS Newport website

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Thursday 22nd August. 24/7 vigil continues. No public announcements yet. Campaign Group Meeting to decide strategy.

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Wednesday 21st August. 24/7 vigil continues. More than 20 local yachts and small boats cruise past the Ship ISCA, saluting their ancestor. Extensive National TV and Press coverage. OTT's mobile unit and Janeiro play live gig. It is understood that, due to popular demand, proposals for further recovery and conservation have been submitted by Newport City Council to the Welsh Assembly. No news on whether the Ship is to be Saved. Despite requests from SoS and GGAT there will be no public access Wednesday 21st and currently no public access Bank Holiday Monday - please ring Newport Civic Centre before travelling. Western Mail and South Wales Argus publish articles stating that despite rumours, there has been no announcement that the ship will be saved.

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Tuesday 20th August. 24/7 vigil continues. Janeiro compose protest song for Wednesday night. Campaign Group Meeting to decide strategy.

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Monday 19th August. 24/7 vigil continues. Demonstration attempts to present petition to Newport City Council. OTT, Market St. Newport host charity event for SOS, Monday Night.

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Sunday 18th August. 24/7 vigil continues. SOS lobby at UK Cycling Championships in Newport. 6,000 signatures. 90% of passing traffic sounds horn.

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Diverse Fact. Famous Newport TJs is supporting the campaign and welcoming campaigners, supporters and diggers.

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Saturday 17th August. 24/7 vigil continues. Wales Assembly pledges support, but repeat the fantasy £20M estimate for a Maritime Museum. The Boat will still be destroyed on 27th August.

SOS are only asking it be saved.

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Diverse Fact. Archaeologists are being stopped on trains and local stations after being recognised from TV and site. Passers by are quizzing them on Ship - amazing interest. The SOS Campaign is a phenomenon that will be studied in years to come - all walks of the community, and all races are inspired by Our Ship.

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Saturday 17th August. 24/7 vigil continues. Guardian takes photos. Kevnian, Newport's own Bard of the Buses is appointed the official Ship's Laureate.

SAVE IT FOR THE SAKE OF THE CITY

If you see the ship and feel the presence of destiny,
You know in your heart you don't want to let go.

Like the treasure you have found, the Ship is our City,
It is it's pleasure you don't want to let go.

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Friday 16th August. 24/7 vigil starts. Immense support from local people. Motorists, taxis, lorry drivers, emergency vehicles & police sound their horns and sirens every time they drive past.

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Thursday 15th August. Campaign Group Meeting to decide strategy.

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Wednesday 14th August. 10,000 people see ship. 250 people attend public meeting in the Dolman Theatre. CBA and the Society for Nautical Research attend in support

Rosemary Butler AM supports the Ship at public meeting © Ron McCormick - Photographs reproduced courtesy of the photographer

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Monday 12th August. The Newport Save Our Ship (SOS) Campaign Starts. SOS Campaign names Ship "The ISCA"

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An example of Popular Poetry inspired by the campaign

S.O.S.

Oh! Dear, what can the matter be?
Newport Council's so full of apathy
Where were they from Sunday to Saturday?
On the campaign for the Boat!

"We are doing all that we can", they say
(Just as long as we do not have to pay),
But where¹s the proof as we pass through another day?
They¹d like to bury our Boat!

Archaeologists working on the site
Would be willing to work through the day and night
With help from the "tooters" and plenty of good floodlight
In order to rescue the Boat.

But they have been told "your contracts will end next week"
So get off site ­ more work elsewhere you must seek.
This leaves the campaign stranded right up the muddy creek,
Just like our precious old Boat!

Why is it that the Council just cannot see
That discovering the ship's such a great opportunity
A gift of a find that's been given to us for free!
They just want to submerge the Boat!

The art centre building must be kept right on board
After the boat has been lifted and safely stored
Then the campaigners can loudly applaud
And everyone can see the Boat!

S.O.S. Volunteers are all fighting to "Save our Ship"
So, Council, why don¹t you please try and get a grip?
We¹re working without you but with you would be so hip -
We could all rescue our Boat!

So, Harry Jones, please sit up and take some note
The people of Newport won¹t give another vote
To councillors who will not some time at least devote
To helping to salvage the Boat!

Newport Maryrose 22nd August 2002