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A team of 160 volunteers in Woodbridge are painstakingly reconstructing the Sutton Hoo burial ship using authentic Anglo-Saxon methods, aiming to launch the 88-foot vessel by 2026.
The big picture: The project represents one of Britain's most ambitious experimental archaeology ventures, recreating what the British Museum calls "the richest intact early medieval grave in Europe."
Why it matters: The reconstruction will help archaeologists and historians better understand:
How Anglo-Saxon shipbuilders constructed their vessels
The materials and techniques used in 7th-century shipbuilding
How these ships would have performed at sea
The details:
The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company is using period-appropriate materials and construction methods
Work is taking place at The Longshed in Woodbridge, where visitors can watch the build-in-progress
The project needs £1.5 million to complete the reconstruction
The team plans to launch the vessel on the River Deben in 2026
What they're saying: "The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company survives and thrives thanks to its amazing community of more than 160 volunteers and its family of supporters from across Woodbridge, Suffolk, Britain, and the world," says Jacq Barnard, Project Manager at The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company.
How to visit: The ship build can be viewed at The Longshed on Tide Mill Way, Woodbridge:
Weekdays: 10am-4pm
Weekends: 11am-3pm
The bottom line: This community-led project offers unprecedented insights into Anglo-Saxon shipbuilding while creating a unique educational resource for future generations to understand this crucial period of British history.
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