Golden Hinde’s butcher’s mast fell into place

History

A milestone in the restoration of the replica Golden Hinde at St Mary Overie Dock was marked on Wednesday with the third and final new mast lowered into position.

At a ceremony on Wednesday morning, the Dean of Southwark, Dr Mark Oakley, blessed the mizzen mast and, along with the winner of a children’s art competition, placed two coins beneath it – a Golden Hinde halfpenny and a piece of R50 commemorating 200 years of the RNLI (donated by The Royal Mint). This is a long-standing nautical tradition said to bring good luck.

Golden Hinde’s Master Shipbuilder Toby Millinder commented: “It’s such an exciting day. When we think of Tudor galleons, we think of their distinctive shape, and the three masts are an integral part of that visual experience.

“Using traditional techniques and materials, my team of shipbuilders help preserve the most accurate historical reconstruction of the Golden Hinde, which is why so many people love coming to visit us.”

To mark the installation of the mizzen mast, Key Stage 2 pupils at the Cathedral School were invited to create a ship-themed piece of art.

The Dean of Southwark assessed the 76 entries and chose Rosa (Year 5) as the overall winner, plus two runners-up: Samuel (Year 4) and Ari (Year 3).

The mizzen mast project received financial support from National Historic Ships UK’s Small Grants Scheme.