Shipwrightry At Buckler’s Hard 4th – 6th May 2013

Fashioning a medieval futtock

Fashioning parts of a keel from a Beaulieu oak

Students at work

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, 4th – 6th May, archaeology students from the University of Southampton will take a step back in time to the days of Britain’s most famous Royal Navy flag officer, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson.  They will spend the weekend at the historic village of Buckler’s Hard, where ships for Nelson’s Trafalgar fleet were built, getting hands-on experience of using tools and shipbuilding techniques from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Visitors can watch as the students convert oak timbers from the Beaulieu Estate, into the main components of the framework of a ship, discovering the challenges faced by shipbuilders of the time, and how they overcame them.

Living History Guides will be on hand to tell visitors what life was like, living and working in the village during its shipbuilding years.

The Maritime Museum, this year celebrating its 50th anniversary, reveals the story of this unique village, bringing to life the characters that lived here at the time of Henry Adams, the Master Shipbuilder at Buckler’s Hard between 1744 and 1805. New displays explore smuggling and village life at Buckler’s Hard.

Following the Woodland Walk, children can learn how the local timber at Buckler’s Hard was used to construct ships in the 18th & 19th centuries and the whole family can enjoy a tranquil River Cruise, which transports you on a journey along the river with a commentary revealing the history of the Beaulieu River and the abundant wildlife that inhabits its riverbanks.
Buckler’s Hard is a place for relaxation, as well as exploration. The Captain’s Cabin Tea Rooms serves a range of light refreshments and drinks, including delicious cream teas, throughout the day.  The Master Builder’s House Hotel, situated at the bottom of the street, offers a bar and restaurant with river views.

Buckler’s Hard is open every day from 10am.
For more information visit www.bucklershard.co.uk