Stern of the HM Frigate Unicorn is the oldest warship still afloat and berthed at the Victoria Dock in Dundee
The Unicorn is the oldest British-built warship still afloat, and one of only six ships still surviving built before 1850 anywhere in the world. Still more remarkable, though launched in 1824, the Unicorn you see today is well over 95% original. Other preserved wooden ships of anything like her age usually include as little as 20% of the actual wood put there by the shipyard that built her, with the remainder resulting from later repairs or Unicorn's remarkable state of preservation is largely down to an accident of history. Her keel was laid in February 1822 at a time when the Royal Navy was still trying to replace ships worn out in the Napoleonic Wars, which had only finally ended in 1815. But by the time of her launch it was becoming increasingly clear that the unusual period of peace being enjoyed, in Europe at least, was likely to last for a while. In those days it took a team of 20 riggers just 230 hours to erect the masts and rigging of a warship from scratch, working non-stop. As a result the Admiralty stored "surplus" warships without their masts or rigging, protecting them from the weather by building a roof over the quarterdeck (the upper deck). In time of crisis the temporary roof would be removed and the vessel prepared for Unicorn came to Dundee under tow behind the HM Paddle Sloop Salamander in November 1873. She has since been moored in the city, serving the local naval units in a range of roles from floating drill hall to the headquarters for the area. Until 1962 she was moored in the Earl Grey Dock, filled in that year to allow the building of the Tay Road Unicorn was very nearly scrapped, instead being saved at the last moment and moved to Victoria Dock. In 1967 the Unicorn became surplus to RN requirements when a new shore HQ was built, and on 26 September 1968 she passed into the hands of the Unicorn Preservation Society, who have looked after her since.
Size: 5120px × 3413px
Location: Dundee Angus Scotland United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Dundee Photographics / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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