A DECADE of the Newport Medieval Ship will be celebrated next month at the site of the original discovery.

‘The Newport Medieval Ship: A Decade of Discovery’ event will be held at The Riverfront on June 1.

Visitors will be taken on a journey from the initial excavation to present day discoveries.

Speakers will include the Friends of the Newport Ship and local historian Bob Trett.

The National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke will also debut her poem marking the anniversary.

It was while building The Riverfront in June 2002 that the remains of the medieval ship were discovered in what is now the orchestra pit of the main auditorium. The ship, which is the most complete example of a vessel from the 1400s, was excavated by a team of archaeologists and lifted from the ground timber by timber.

Initially supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and now supported by mainstream funding from the council, a team of specialists is recording and conserving all 2,000 ship timbers and the artefacts discovered during the excavation.

Tickets are £3.50 for the anniversary event, which starts at 7pm. To book call 01633 656757.

The event is part of a number of activities throughout the year to celebrate the anniversary which include themed open days, talks and a barbecue.

For information, visit newport.gov.uk/ship