HMS Trincomalee 1817

HMS Trincomalee, built in Bombay for the Admiralty in 1817, is the oldest ship afloat in the UK and the last of the commissioned frigates of the Nelson era. She saw service in the West Indies and throughout the vast Pacific in the nineteenth century before taking a role as a training vessel, largely in Portsmouth, that lasted until 1986, by which time she was in poor condition.

The Ship was sensitively restored in Hartlepool between 1990 and 2001in a project that gained widespread acclaim with the Trust winning an International Maritime Heritage Award. Subsequent recognition has included a Silver Award in the 2004 national finals of the Excellence in England Tourism ‘Oscars’, and reference in several notable publications as a fine example of the voluntary maritime sector leading economic and tourism regeneration in the renaissance of towns and cities.

Today, HMS Trincomalee is afloat in the Graving Dock as the central attraction of Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience [HME] and is open to the public throughout the year. In addition to the usual visits, the Ship is able to host weddings, functions and presentations and is a popular venue for filming. Educational usage is another important element of the Trust’s work.