Harwich Mayflower Heritage Centre

General information

Making History, Changing Lives.
The Harwich Mayflower Project is building a seaworthy replica sister ship to the iconic Mayflower which took the Founding Fathers to America in 1620. The ship which will be built in Harwich will participate in the 400th Anniversary commemoration and celebrations taking place in the United Kingdom and in the United States of America in 2020. The Mayflower Project, a registered charity, has already achieved major benefits for the local area. For more than 500 years, Harwich has been crucial in British maritime history. It has been central to the major events in making Britain what it is today: building ships in the time of the Spanish Armada and its role in the two World Wars.
Its shipbuilding heritage and more importantly training for apprenticeships in shipbuilding & marine engineering will be given during the ships build.
The Charity has renovated the nearby Mayflower Station to house this thriving Training Centre and we are constantly providing new courses - including the safety of workers who will be employed by the nearby wind farm projects of the North Sea which is part of the Energise initiative.
We also repair smaller wooden craft as part of the apprenticeship process.

The ship, its build, and its historical interest will also act as a tourist hub for the East of England, enjoying visits from all over the world, not least the descendants of the Mayflower Voyage of 1620.
When the vessel is completed it can be used to train young people in all aspects of sailing and safety at sea and at work. Navigation and Seamanship will be central to this phase of the project.

After the Mayflower is complete we plan to continue building other wooden boats and ships. There are tentative plans for a replica Viking long ship to be built and we can continue to provide apprenticeships and training for youngsters passing on skills from an experienced older generation to young people and ensuring these skills are not lost for future generations.

With our plan to recreate the iconic journey in 2020 to USA eastern seaboard and back to the UK, we hope to strengthen our deeply rooted kinship with our American friends.