In Scottish lore and heritage the unicorn is a powerful and recurring symbol with magical powers. It’s a fitting name then for another magical icon of Scottish history, the remarkable HMS Unicorn, the deeply historic and unique ship that currently faces an existential threat. She needs all of our help.
A unique and remarkable ship
If you’ve been to Dundee the chances are you’ll have visited a historic ship, but probably the RSS Discovery rather than this much older vessel. “They used to be neighbours here in Victoria Dock,” explains the Unicorn’s Museum Director Matthew Bellhouse Moran. “But then RSS Discovery moved west, sweeping quite a few visitors off with them. We now get just over 10,000 visitors a year, but we need more and also grants and donations in what is the challenge of saving one of the most unique ships in the world.”
The HMS Unicorn is certainly unique. She was launched back in March 1824 at the Chatham Royal Dockyard, making her the oldest ship still floating in Scotland and one of the oldest of her kind in the world. The reason she is so well preserved is that she may have been built to battle Napoleon, but her masts were never raised in anger and she was kept in reserve. So this grand dame never suffered the ignominy of being fired at, wrecked or sunk. So in essence she is a 200-year-old ship dreamt up in the Georgian era with many of her features still gloriously original.
“She is a one off,” beams Matthew with the broad smile and obvious passion that emanates from all of her passionate team. “We are talking two-century old timbers and a timewarp of design. Many critics at the time dismissed the pioneering rounded stern, but it became standard due to being more solid and better at withstanding cannon fire.”
A must-visit attraction
The great joy of visiting the Unicorn – and you must if you can – is that you can ramble all over the four decks of this accredited museum, delving deep into the bowels of a Georgian warship that once sported 46 cannons. Each level bursts with stories. A smorgasbord of photos, artefacts, models, displays and hands-on gems bring her time as a frigate and then as a training ship in Dundee for the last 151 years alive.
I learn so much just wandering around as she breathes history and intrigue. The Royals for example have visited: King Charles has strolled her deck and ship-loving Princess Anne is said to be a huge fan. The tale of U2326 strikes me. In 1945 the Unicorn became the only Georgian warship ever to take the surrender of a submarine when the German officers boarded. In a comic twist one of them cracked their head on one of the low-slung ceilings.
Many local stories swirl around in a city where she was known as HMS Cressy in her role as a training ship. This after all is a vessel who first arrived in Dundee before the Caird Hall and the city’s cathedral were built. There is a poignant memorial to people who served on her, but were then lost to war, but happier tales too of men and women who met aboard and went on to get married and raise families. Today adults and children alike also know her through impressive learning and engagement programmes that reach around 3,500 people every year.
On every deck I chat to the team and their enthusiasm spills over. Tony talks of that “unique original design” and how special she is: “I love it when people ask what a unique part is and I can tell them a surprising story and it really adds to their visit and their understanding of the Unicorn.” As he explains this he peels back a section of deck to reveal a hole where boys used to scamper around with ropes, through what he calls “the belly button”.
Project Safe Haven
The pain walking the Unicorn’s decks is palpable when you realise how threatened the ship is. Matthew explains – “She faces a very real existential threat. If we don’t address that then at some point in the future she is risk of sinking and being lost to the city and to future generations.”
The energetic Unicorn team are determined to avoid this calamity and have really cranked up their efforts, commissioning a pioneering modelling project that has won awards. They now know what state the Unicorn is in and have a plan to haul her ashore to work on her in a resurrected dry dock, the East Graving Dock, and create a much enhanced visitor experience.
A Scottish Parliamentary reception was held in September, hosted by Michael Marra MSP and the Unicorn to mark the bicentenary. Here Project Safe Haven was outlined, what Matthew calls “one of the biggest engineering challenges in Scotland”. The team also demonstrated how Project Safe Haven will bring economic benefits to Dundee, with job creation and opportunities. There will be the creation of a Maritime Heritage Centre at the heart of Dundee too.
A precious artefact
Michael Marra MSP commented: “HMS Unicorn is a precious, beautiful and beloved artefact in our nation’s maritime history. She deserves the care and attention that outstanding volunteers and professional museum staff are now providing. I was glad to be able to bring her unique story to the attention of fellow members of parliament on this 200th anniversary. In common with so many Dundonians HMS Unicorn played a part in my childhood with days out with grandparents and I am glad to still be able to take my own children along to enjoy learning about our past. The challenge we must all now rise to is to secure HMS Unicorn’s future as an asset for the city and the country.”
Director Matthew added,” “A Scottish Parliamentary reception to celebrate HMS Unicorn’s bicentennial year seemed a fitting tribute to mark an astonishing 200-year history as one of the oldest ships in the world still afloat today, and certainly the oldest ship in Scotland still afloat today. HMS Unicorn has been part of the fabric of life in Dundee over the last 151 years and is held in great esteem. As we move forward, we are now looking to secure the future of HMS Unicorn for the next 200 years. As a charity we have made good progress towards raising the necessary funds, but we need more significant funding to secure the much-needed preservation work to fulfil our vision of Project Safe Haven. Without this her existence for future generations is in serious question.”
Work has already begun, with Matthew defiantly declaring “The time is now”. He stresses, “There are 100s of things we could do, but the priority is to get ship in the dry dock. That cuts out the single biggest danger to the ship. And for that to happen we need you, whether you are just wanting to come along and have a great time visiting our unique floating tourist attraction, or you are able to donate to this vital cause.”
Factfile
- For more information on the HMS Unicorn see www.hmsunicorn.org.uk
- Facebook @HMSUnicorn. Twitter @HMSUnicornship. Instagram @hms.unicorn
- To support the preservation of HMS Unicorn and to help Project Safe Haven you can join in and become a ‘Shipmate’ of HMS Unicorn by visiting: https://www.hmsunicorn.org.uk/hms-unicorn/supporting-us
*This post comes in conjunction with the HMS Unicorn. All views and opinions expressed are our own.
