'The Discovery' Replica Ship, Wellington Dock, Dover, Kent, UK (6)

John Latter, on May 31, 2007, said:

The main mast and upper rigging of the replica ship, Discovery, berthed in Dover Marina's Wellington Dock, May 2007.

Standard Info

The Discovery is 11 metres long at the waterline and 3.5 metres across at the beam, the replica was built in 1984. The original weighed 26 tons and carried 22 crew on her journey to America.

The other 5 in this first upload of photos of the Discovery at Dover are:

A view from the bow.

A view from the stern.

A closer view of the deck from the stern.

A view of the starboard side.

A view of the main mast and rigging at deck level.

More photos may be uploaded later.

From Jamestown UK Foundation Ltd.:

Four hundred years ago, on 19th December 1606, one hundred and five men and boys set sail from London, and then Kent, on three ships: the 'Susan Constant', 'Godspeed' and 'Discovery'. Eighteen weeks later they landed at Cape Henry, where after two weeks and dreadful privations, they founded Jamestown, the first capital of Virginia, the earliest permanent English colony in America.

One hundred and fifty years later, the English colonies, which by this time numbered thirteen, were rich and populous and formed the core of the first British Empire. In 1775, however, the colonies rebelled and, a year later declared their independence from Britain as the United States of America.

But they remained essentially English in language, law, religion and (despite a dusting of republican and democratic forms) government.

In the late sixteenth century English was a small European language spoken by circa four million people in Britain and nowhere else. In 1607, English began its voyage to world status, spoken by more than one billion people today.

Edited Press Release, 9th of May 2007:

The Discovery Tour 1607 - 2007

'On Tour' in the UK - first stop Dover

'The Discovery' commemorates America's 400th birthday

Four hundred years ago, in May 1607, 104 English men and boys made landfall in Virginia, and began to build the first permanent English-speaking settlement in America at Jamestown. This event is being commemorated in the USA by the state visit by H M Queen Elizabeth II, followed by a series of events led by President George W Bush and a host of international representatives.

'The Discovery' is a full-scale replica of the smallest of the three ships that took the settlers to America in 1607, and 'The Discovery Tour 1607 - 2007' will provide the UK focus of the 400th anniversary commemorations.

This replica of 'The Discovery' has been gifted to the Jamestown UK Foundation Ltd. by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in America and was conveyed to the UK in October 2006 by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. It was built in 1984, and was in Virginia for many years where it received over 9 million visitors.

The Jamestown UK Foundation Ltd has been established in the UK to oversee the UK commemoration of the 400th anniversary. The Foundation is chaired by Mr. Alex King MBE, who said:

"The spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship that carried our forbears to Virginia in search of prosperity and new trading links must inspire us in the 21st century with admiration for their courage. This small ship was home to 22 people for the perilous 4½ month crossing of the Atlantic, in their mission to find wealth and new trade routes. Their arrival on American soil marked the founding of one of the greatest civilisations the world has ever seen - a civilisation based on the English language and legal system."

'The Discovery Tour 1607 - 2007' includes many places in the UK with links to the original settlers and their supporters and brings to life their story of adventure and hardship in the search for prosperity and a new life.

The first port of call for 'The Discovery' will be Dover, where the ship may be seen berthed in the Marina adjacent to De Bradelei Wharf Shopping Centre, courtesy of Dover Harbour Board. The Discovery arrives on Tuesday 15th May, and will stay until Thursday 7th June. It will be accompanied by an exhibition telling the story of the ship and its journey.

'The Discovery' will also visit two other places in Kent: Quex Park, and Chatham Historic Dockyard in June, before travelling to Lincolnshire, Essex, Suffolk and Bristol.

For more information on 'The Discovery Tour 1607 - 2007', visit http://www.jamestownuk.org/discovery.html

End Notes:

'The Discovery Tour 1607 - 2007' will visit the following places:

Quex Park, Kent

Chatham Historic Dockyard

Americana International 2007 at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire

Lincoln Waterfront Festival 2007

Bristol

Ipswich

Harwich

Alford Manor, Lincolnshire