BUCKLER’S HARD, ENGLAND—BBC News reports that an archaeological team from the University of Southampton uncovered the former slipway and other infrastructure from one of England’s busiest and most historic eighteenth-century shipyards. The discovery was made in the small hamlet of Buckler’s Hard in New Forest. According to records, during the 1700s at least 55 ships belonging to the Royal Navy were built and launched from the nearby waterfront, making it the largest private shipyard of its era. The survival of the original boat ramp somewhat surprised archaeologists, since most similar features from the period have been subsequently buried in concrete. Researchers are hoping that the surviving traces of the site will provide new insight into colonial-era shipbuilding, and have built a 3D model of the slipway to aid in future research. “The only opportunity is a place like this where you can actually see the whole of the infrastructure and the logistical structures needed to build ships of that size,” said lead archeologist Jon Adams. One of the most famous vessels built at Buckler’s Hard was the HMS Agamemnon, which participated in Lord Nelson’s famous 1805 victory in the Battle of Trafalgar and was known to be one of the naval commander’s favorite ships. To read about Napoleon's plan to invade Britain that was abandoned after he lost the Battle of Trafalgar, go to "Around the World: France."
