Coming soon: A new visitor attraction for the 21st century
The Cutty Sark is the last of the great Tea Clippers and situated in the very heart of Greenwich, in a dry dock at the river's edge.
Sadly, the ship was seriously damaged by fire while undergoing conservation work in 2007.
The Cutty Sark Trust urgently needs help to repair the damage and continue the valuable conservation project.
Following the fire, the Cutty Sark Trust has estimated that the Cutty Sark will re-open in Spring 2011.
Cutty Sark restoration
A complete renovation of the Cutty Sark was estimated to cost £25 million. The ship has been in the dry dock since 1954, and was urgently in need of conservation.
But total costs may now reach £35 million because of the extra time and money needed to complete the work following the fire.
The Cutty Sark Trust had secured grants from a number of sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Since the fire, the Heritage Lottery Fund has decided to increase its grant by £10 million, bringing the total secured grants to £30 million.
Read about the Cutty Sark blaze
More about the conservation project on the Cutty Sark website
How you can help
You can also support the work by making donations – find out more on the Cutty Sark website or call 020 8858 2698.
The Council has pledged its support for the project. Chris Roberts, leader of the Council, spoke of the fire as a 'devastating blow'.
Glorious maritime past
The Cutty Sark was the fastest ship of her day and made many voyages across the seas.
The Cutty Sark's name is Scottish for 'short shirt', a shift worn by Nannie, the bewitching heroine of Robert Burns' poem 'Tam O' Shanter'. Nannie is also the ship's figurehead.
The period between the early 19th century and mid 20th century was an exciting time for sea travel. And Greenwich was very much a part of all this excitement.
As one of the most famous reminders of this glorious past, the Cutty Sark attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.
The Cutty Sark is part of the historic Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Other famous buildings and landmarks in the area were unaffected by the blaze.
More about visiting Maritime Greenwich
Interactive image
Interactive image of the Cutty Sark and surrounding area
Address
Cutty Sark Gardens
Greenwich
London SE10 9HT
Location map of Cutty Sark
NOTE: The ship is expected to re-open in Spring 2011.
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