Victory under the scaffolding

Major new conservation phase for national treasure heralds a temporary new look for HMS Victory and once-in-a-generation visitor experience. One of the world’s best-loved ships and national treasure, HMS Victory, reaches a hugely significant conservation milestone in the 10-year-long project to ensure she is protected for the next half century with the announcement that the ship will go under wraps and be partially enclosed by temporary covered scaffolding.

A century since Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar was moved into dry dock in 1922, the repair work echoes the tradition of large-scale work carried out on a First-Rate line-of-battle ship in the 18th and 19th century.

The scaffolding installation is due to complete in time for the busy summer holiday period and the ship will remain open to visitors but access may be restricted for limited periods. Visitors are strongly advised to keep up to date with the website www.nmrn.org.uk.

A temporary building will be constructed over Victory in stages, to start the process of drying the ship and keeping her weather tight during conservation works. Platforms will eventually surround the ship in phases, encasing it in a secure structure that in phase one will run from the mizzen mast to the fore mast then moving, in phase 2 to cover the bow, and stern at stage 3.

This temporary building will also provide full public access at three levels for viewing of the works allowing for the development of a fascinating new visitor experience where visitors will be able to ascend scaffolding for an exceptionally rare opportunity to see specialist shipwrights at work.

Details of the visitor experience allowing access onto the scaffolding will be announced shortly. Visitor access to the adjacent Mary Rose Museum will remain open.

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