Vital roof works are to take place on board HMS Unicorn thanks to new grant funding from Dundee Historic Environment and Fife Environmental Trust.
Berthed in Dundee’s Victoria Dock, the historic ship and tourist attraction is now the oldest ship left in Scotland and the most original old ship in the world.
The ship has historically been protected from the effect of long-term exposure to rainwater thanks to her protective roof and its felt covering. However, over time the felt covering on the roof’s extended eaves has come away, meaning rainwater has started to fall through the roof’s wooden planking and onto the ship.
Mackay’s, a traditional boat builder company from Arbroath, has now been tasked with carrying out repairs to reinstate the roof’s full protective covering.
Catherine Erskine, one of the trustees of the ship, said: “The Unicorn Preservation Society is extremely grateful to Dundee Historic Environment Trust and Fife Environment Trust for grants to enable us to repair the roof of the ship. This will enable us to prevent rainwater entering the ship and damaging the timbers.
“This important work is a major step towards the long-term preservation of HMS Unicorn in the East Graving Dock and we are excited to see this much anticipated work commence after February gales and the Covid-19 shutdown prevented work from going ahead.”
Most of the work will be on HMS Unicorn’s starboard side, where most of the original roofing is missing and where the deterioration is most noticeable. Mackay’s believe the work will take around five days to carry out.
HMS Unicorn
HMS Unicorn is #ScotlandsOldestShip, one of the oldest ships in the world still afloat and the most original ship surviving from the golden age of sail. A historic ship and a truly unique venue, Unicorn is available for private hire including corporate events, weddings, dinners and ceilidhs. For more information contact enquiries@hmsunicorn.org.uk.
