Greenwich and Bexley

A 25 million pound conservation project has seen most of the vessel already taken away. It's been kept in storage at Chatham Docks in Kent. The hull of the ship remains and a 200 strong team of conservationists are taking apart every individual plank and rivet which has been attacked by rust.  Since it was built in 1869, sea salt and rain water has accelerated the corrosion of her iron framework.

A new pavilion has been built is next to the ship which to many could seem more like a circus tent than a piece of local history.  Inside its unusual structure inspired by the sails of the historic ship, an exhibition charts the Cutty Sark’s history as a tea clipper that once sailed the high seas. It also brings visitors up to date with the progress of the conservation project and the science behind the work.

Richard Doughty, Project Director and Chief Executive of the Cutty Sark Trust said: “Our purpose quite simply is to secure the future of the ship and to give visitors a truly awe-inspiring experience.”

The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which awarded a £13m grant towards the ship’s conservation.The Cutty Sark Trust has raised almost £20m, but is looking for further financial contributions to close the funding gap

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport,  Tessa Jowell  said: “The Cutty Sark is a special part of our history.  It has delighted and inspired young and old for many years, and is an essential part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site.This is exactly the sort of project that the National Lottery was designed to support.”

I was invited on board the Cutty Sark to see how the work was going.

Click on the video report icon to see my report.