26/10/2026
🌳 HAS THE RECENT STORM BROUGHT DOWN AN OAK OR OTHER HARDWOOD TREE ON YOUR LAND?
The recent storms have sadly caused damage to trees across the country, including some magnificent mature oaks and other hardwoods. If you've been unfortunate enough to lose a tree, we may be able to give its timber a very special new purpose.
At The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company, we're recreating the great Anglo-Saxon ship buried at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, using traditional tools and techniques.
We're currently searching for two exceptionally large oak trees, as well as substantial hardwood branches, to provide timber for the next stage of our shipbuilding project.
🌳 LARGE OAK TREES
We're looking for two oak trees with exceptionally long, straight trunks for planking:
Oak 1: A clean trunk at least 9 metres long, measuring at least 1.3 metres in diameter at chest height and 1.1 metres at 9 metres.
Oak 2: A clean trunk at least 6 metres long, measuring at least 1.3 metres in diameter at chest height and 1.1 metres at 6 metres.
Both trees need to have sound, straight trunks and bark, free from significant knots, growths or disease. They can be standing trees or trees that have fallen within the last year.
🌿 LARGE HARDWOOD BRANCHES
We're also looking for substantial branches from the canopies of oak, ash and other hardwood trees for tholes.
Ideally, these should have:
A large main branch with an offshoot growing at approximately 45 degrees.
A minimum length of 1 metre for both the main branch and the offshoot.
A minimum diameter of 25 cm for oak, or 20 cm for other hardwoods such as ash, for both the main branch and the offshoot.
These naturally angled branches are particularly valuable for traditional shipbuilding, where the shape and strength of the timber can be used to create structural components.
🌳 CAN YOU HELP?
We're particularly keen to hear from landowners, farmers, estates, woodland managers, tree surgeons and forestry professionals anywhere in the UK.
We know that losing a mature tree can be a real blow, especially when it has been part of a landscape for generations. But perhaps there is some comfort in knowing that its timber could become part of something extraordinary — helping to recreate a ship that tells a story stretching back 1,400 years.
If you have a potentially suitable tree or branch, or know someone who might, please contact us:
📧 Email: The Sutton Hoo Ships Company trees@ saxonship.org
📱 WhatsApp or text: 07899 778995
Please include the location, approximate dimensions and a few photographs of the tree or branches. Don't worry if you're unsure of the exact measurements — we'd still love to hear from you.
Please share this appeal, particularly with anyone involved in woodland management, forestry, farming or tree surgery. Even if a fallen tree isn't suitable for our large oak requirements, its branches might be exactly what we're looking for!
From a fallen tree to an Anglo-Saxon ship — a remarkable new chapter for some magnificent timber.
