The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Award for Unicorn’s custodians
The charity behind HMS Unicorn has been awarded the Excellence in Maritime Conservation Award at this year’s National Historic Ships UK Awards.
The Unicorn Preservation Society received the recognition for work to understand HMS Unicorn through a variety of structural surveys.
From this project, a complete model of the ship has been created, giving an insight into how the vessel was constructed without modern means.
HMS Unicorn is an 1824 former Navy ship which has been in Dundee for nearly 150 years and is now a museum.
It is the third oldest ship in the world and has been under the care of the society since 1968.
A survey of the ship found structural weaknesses, with repair costs estimated at more than £1 million.
Once funds have been raised and remedial work completed, HMS Unicorn will move to East Graving Dock as part of Project Safe Haven, where it will form the centrepiece of the new Dundee Maritime Heritage Centre.
The National Historic Ships UK Awards celebrate maritime heritage across UK coasts, lakes and rivers, and encourage people of all ages to engage with historic vessels through a variety of mediums.
Hannah Cunliffe, director of National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK), said: “The judging panel was impressed by the considered approach adopted by the society in respect to understanding this highly significant ship prior to stabilisation and conservation.
“This demonstrated direct application of the NHS-UK conservation guidelines, making HMS Unicorn a worthy recipient of this prestigious award.
“While the society is in the early stages of its journey to secure the future of the ship, the survey work and planning that has been undertaken is a major milestone to have achieved.”
Museum director Matthew Bellhouse Moran said: “This award shows the serious commitment and behind-thescenes hive of activity that has been HMS Unicorn over the last three years.
“Good conservation practice is based around careful recording, planning and consideration and it is wonderful to be recognised for our approach to vessel conservation.”