National Historic Ships UK is the official voice of historic vessels in the United Kingdom. We are a government funded, independent organisation which gives objective advice to UK governments and local authorities; funding bodies, and the historic ships sector on all matters relating to historic vessels in the UK.
It is the successor to the National Historic Ships Committee, which emerged from a seminar held in 1991 to discuss the problems facing the preservation of historic ships and vessels in the UK and the evident neglect of this important part of our heritage.
Strong support was expressed for the creation of a co-ordinating body which could provide an overview of all aspects of historic ship preservation and the Committee was formally launched on 15 July 1992 by Lord Lewin, then Chairman of Trustees of the National Maritime Museum.
National Historic Ships UK, carries a wide remit, looking not only at the immediate issues concerning historic vessels in the United Kingdom, but also addressing questions relating to the support infrastructure for historic ships, their potential for contributing in the wider economic, social and community context, and by maintaining a watch list of vessels abroad with potential UK significance.
Specialties
historic vessels, conservation, ship preservation, consultation, grants and funding