My life in history: project manager at the Sutton Hoo's Ship's Company
As part of the 'My life in history' series, Jacq Barnard talks about her role as project manager at the Sutton Hoo's Ship's Company
What is the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company and what are its aims?
The Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company was formed in 2016 to recreate the Anglo-Saxon ship used for the burial in Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo. It was thought to be the grave of King Rædwald of East Anglia, buried in AD 625 along with some amazing treasures that can now be seen at the British Museum.
We are reconstructing the ship in a purpose-built Longshed in Woodbridge, Suffolk, just across the water from the historic archaeological site. Whereas many of the Sutton Hoo artefacts have been reconstructed, the ship never has: that is what we are doing. Then we want to test the ship on the water.
How did you get involved and what is your role?
As the project manager, I oversee all aspects of the reconstruction. This includes managing teams of shipbuilders, recorders, researchers, and front-of-house and back-office crews.
I became involved in 2018 when I was introduced to a trustee of the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company by a colleague from my local rowing club. The company needed a local manager with organisational, financial and rowing skills – for once in my life I had the correct combination of skills on my CV!
In the early days, we worked around kitchen tables to set up the company and identify funding opportunities. The Longshed, where the building is taking place, would be completed later that year. It is where I am now working most days, but, equally, I am engaging with our volunteers online. Our behind-the-scenes volunteers are working all over the world.
How authentic are the methods used to recreate the ship?
We are examining the archaeology to understand and replicate the Anglo-Saxon shipbuilding methods, and volunteers are trained to handle and use axes to work the timber into each of the components in the same way that our ancestors did. But we cannot claim to be completely authentic: we work in a modern shed; the timber is delivered by lorry; and we have to lift things with health and safety-compliant equipment. That is not to mention the use of pencils and dust extractors.
Also, in some of the photographs, you will see the sleek wooden backbone resting on a black strongback. This is the cradle designed to support the weight and shape of the ship. The black ‘moulds’ are temporary structures made from modern softwood and will not be part of the final ship. What we can claim, however, is that every part of the finished ship that goes on the water will be created by hand and finished by axe. Our primary aim is to reconstruct the Sutton Hoo ship so that we can test it in different scenarios and finally come to a conclusion about what it was and wasn’t capable of.
What have been the biggest challenges in the project?
As with any project of this size, funding is the biggest challenge. It is possible for supporters to ‘fund a fixing’: sponsor each individual metal rivet, spike and bolt needed – and a lot are needed as there 4,308 different fixings.
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However, the cost of iron has tripled during the Covid-19 pandemic, so sponsorship now only covers the actual cost of the iron. Another challenge is the number of man-hours required. Axe work is slow and exacting, so we are reliant on attracting enough volunteers to complete the ship within the allocated time frame.
When should the ship be ready?
So far, the complicated backbone – the three-dimensional structure that runs the full length of the hull – has been completed. All being well we are hoping to launch the ship in spring 2024.
This article was first published in the July 2022 issue of BBC History Revealed