22nd November 2023
Hull City Council has won a prestigious award to recognise the recent programme of restoration to the city’s Spurn Lightship.
The Martyn Heighton Award for Excellence in Maritime Conservation 2023, by the National Historic Ship UK, has been awarded to Hull Maritime for best demonstrating the principles in Conserving Historic Vessels. The awards ceremony took place tonight, Wednesday 22 November aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia.
The judges looked for projects which clearly displayed a conservation approach that has been applied and the way in which the long-term future or a permanent record of the vessel has been secured.
Thanks to Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the conservation of the Spurn Lightship, by Dunston Ship Repairs, was extensive, addressing decades of inevitable deterioration including issues with water leakage causing corrosion and decay. The vessel was put in dry-dock several times for conservation led repairs and maintenance, working to a goal to ensure preservation for the next 50 years or more.
One aspect of the preservation story of the Spurn Lightship was the successful identification and preservation of the original deck. Initially, it was expected that it would need replacing but after cleaning, it was found to be the original teak and in excellent condition with just refinishing required. The unanimous decision was to preserve the original deck, providing a more durable solution with historic integrity.
Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “Winning this award is fantastic recognition of the level and standard of work that has been carried out. Following Spurn Lightship’s conservation work, it is most likely in the best condition it has ever been in since the vessel was first built in 1927.
“It’s great to win and put Hull on the map for its conservation work to the city’s lightship, and we look forward to seeing her become a floating museum once again early next year.”
Hannah Cunliffe, Director of National Historic Ships UK, said: “Congratulations to Hull City Council on winning the highly coveted Excellence in Maritime Conservation Award. The judging panel was impressed by the way in which the team had embraced the conservation principles set down in our guidance materials, facing some challenging decisions, to achieve an exemplar preservation project.
“The final outcome tells the story of the Spurn Lightship through its physical fabric, in a way which safeguards and enhances its significance, so I am delighted to see the project recognised in this way."
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “A huge congratulations to the team at Hull City Council on winning this prestigious award for their considered and ambitious restoration of the Spurn Lightship.
"We are really proud to have been able to support the work thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, and we are sure that many of them will be just as excited as we are to visit the ship when it reopens in 2024.”
Following a 14-month restoration of the Spurn Lightship, by Dunston Ship Repairs, the lightship moved back to a temporary berth on Hull Marina on 9 March 2023. Work to create a permanent berth near Murdoch’s Connection is now underway.
The Spurn Lightship is due to reopen autumn 2024.
Take a look at the restoration process here.
