News release issued: 11th July 2008
The Vikings have arrived at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. From Friday 11 – Sunday 13 July, there will be a rare opportunity for visitors to step on board a Viking longship, the Sea Stallion, as it makes its only mainland UK stopover on its voyage around the south of England, from Ireland to Denmark.
The Sea Stallion, which is a reconstruction of the 30 metre long warship, Skuldelev 2-wreck, found at the bottom of Roskilde Fjord in 1962, was built using replica Viking Age tools and the same materials and techniques as found in the original ship. It will be on display for visitors to the Historic Dockyard throughout the weekend. For those wishing to step on board, there will be a charge of £1.00 per person.
The world’s biggest Viking ship, the Sea Stallion is manned by a 60-strong crew who have just sailed across the Irish Sea under extreme conditions in an open boat with little or no privacy or comfort. The aim of the whole voyage is to test the reconstruction itself and to provide new knowledge on Viking longships and society.
“We look forward to welcoming the Sea Stallion as it is perfectly placed to sit alongside our existing historic ships, which already represent more than 500 years of maritime history and ship building – from Henry VIII’s warship, the Mary Rose, Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory to the only surviving member of Queen Victoria's Black Battle Fleet, HMS Warrior 1860,” said Robert Bruce, Managing Director, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Drusilla Moody, Tourism and Visitor Services Manager for Portsmouth City Council, who has helped to make the stopover possible, said: “We are very pleased to support the Viking ship's visit to the city as part of Archaeology Week. This is another great attraction to pull in the crowds and make visiting the city a must for tourists."
The Sea Stallion was built in 2000–2004 at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark.
The Viking Ship Museum’s Director, Tinna Damgaard said: “Portsmouth is the only city the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde has promised a visit from the Sea Stallion on its voyage home from Dublin.
“The choice fell on Portsmouth first and foremost because here the Sea Stallion has an opportunity to present itself in an interesting maritime museum environment. Flanked by the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior, the Sea Stallion will be contributing to the presentation of nearly 800 year’s naval history. Other reasons include the fact that maritime-interested people in England already come to Portsmouth, and that the museums in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard are geared to cope with the presentation work.
“The Viking Ship Museum has also been able to set up an exhibition about the Sea Stallion project in the museum area. The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde sees the visit as an opportunity to strengthen our collaboration with the maritime museums in Portsmouth”.
The special free exhibition provided by the Viking Ship Museum will be open in Boathouse 4, at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard from Saturday 29 June until Sunday 20 July, giving visitors an insight into the history of the Vikings.
