Portland Museum and MSDS Marine will be holding an Earl of Abergavenny themed drop in event Thursday July 21st at the Wild Chesil Centre, Portland Beach Road.
MSDS Marine will be bringing their fabulous pop up exhibition trailer to CBC and, with our expert volunteers, will showcase the amazing story of the Earl of Abergavenny shipwreck.
On show will be some of the most intriguing objects retrieved from the ship that hit the infamous Shambles Sandbank in 1805 and sank just off Weymouth Bay.
Come and see real pieces of eight, the captain’s cufflinks, copper ingots, and beautifully preserved parts of this huge ship that was lost on a trading mission from England to Bengal and China.
Learn about the captain, John Wordsworth, who was set to make a fortune from the voyage before human error, the Portland Bill coastline and stormy weather combined to wreck the Earl of Abergavenny only days after beginning its trip.
Chat to one of our expert conservation volunteers who has been assessing the condition of the finds from the excavation that took place over a period of 25 years just out in Weymouth Bay.
Also on show will be the amazing 3D images Portland Museum volunteers have been making of the collection items. See the other side of objects only normally visible from one angle when on display in a museum!
This is a great opportunity to find out about Portland Museum’s National Lottery funded Diving into the Digital Archives of the Earl of Abergavenny project. Phase 2 of this project will begin in September and if you’d like to join us then come along and meet the gang – or just come along for the ride!
In November 2021, Portland Museum won a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to launch a digital volunteering initiative and break down barriers to heritage. Working with partners, MSDS Marine and MSDS Heritage and the Nautical Archaeology Society, the museum is training volunteers in digital recording techniques to share 3D images and information on the finds from the Earl of Abergavenny shipwreck with the wider community.
If you’d like the opportunity to join our Phase 2 volunteer team and develop your digital skills then why not get in touch with us at portlandmuseum@gmail.com
