Kiss me Hardy (Flagship Portsmouth at the Historic Dockyard)

Member Name: salem_witch

Product:	Flagship Portsmouth at the Historic Dockyard
Date:	09/08/04 (733 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suitable for all the family, Very interesting, You can go back another day with a passport ticket.

Disadvantages: Pricey, Can't be done all in one day

If you want a fun day out that is suitable for everyone then I must suggest Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. There is plenty to do and its not possible to do it all in one day. However, saying that you can purchase an all inclusive ticket (passport). This allows you to visit all three ships and the various other attractions. This is currently £15.50 for an adult and £12.50 for a senior citizen and children. It sounds expensive but it works out much cheaper than paying for the attractions separately. The good news with this ticket is that it has an unlimited time period on it so you can always return at a later date. One thing to bear in mind is you can only visit each attraction once. There is also a season ticket, which allows you unlimited access to all the attractions for 2 years (this is £28 for adults). These are both the better options as a ticket for one attraction costs a staggering £9.70 for adults and £8 for senior citizens and children. It is also worth noting that the registered disabled are entitled to a concession price and registered disabled carers (maximum one) and children under 5 are FREE


The Historic Dockyard is easy to find. It is less than 5 miles away from J12 of the M27. There are brown Historic Waterfront signs from the M27 and Historic Dockyard signs when you get into Portsmouth itself. We were staying nearby in Southsea and it was also sign posted from there. The car park is not far from the Dockyards (approx. 300 metres). However, you do have to pay. The parking charges are as follows:

Up to 2 hours - £1.50
Up to 4 hours - £2.70
Up to 8 hours - £4.80
Over 8 hours - £6.00

When you go through the entrance you have to go through the visitor centre. This is where you get your tickets. Remember if you do get a passport ticket not to lose it, as you will need it to get into each attraction!


History of the dockyard

The dockyards were constructed in 1194 at the order of King Richard
I. 18 years later his brother, King John, ordered for them to be enclosed. In 1495 Henry VII ordered the construction of the worlds first dry dock. It then became a fleet construction centre under Henry VIII. Charles II formed the Royal Navy in 1670. The docks then became the Royal Dockyard. The Great Ship Basin and 6 dry docks were built. This is where HMS Victory and the Mary Rose now sit.

By 1800 the navy had 684 ships. The dockyard was now the worlds largest industrial complex. In 1802 the Blackmills were built. These were ship pulley blocks, which made the building of ships easier and quicker. These were designed by Marc Brunel, Isambard Kingdom Brunels father. HMS Dreadnought was built in record time and HMS Queen Elizabeth was built in 1913.

The dockyard played and important part in both world wars. In 1967 HMS Andromeda was built. This was the last of 286 ships that were built at the dockyard. In 1984 it lost its royal title. Its now the most visited attraction in the South. Last year some 325, 000 visitors paid to look around the attractions and 100, 000 visitors went in free to wonder around without visiting the attractions.



HMS Victory

HMS Victory is the worlds oldest commissioned ship. She is also well known for being Horatio Nelson?s flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. She was designed by Thomas Slade and launched in May 1765 from Chatham. However, she wasn?t commissioned until 1778. Her hull timbers were well seasoned because of this. This explains why she survived for so long. She was in service for 110 years and was moored in 1812 and now lives in No 2 Dry Dock.

When you buy your ticket you are given a time for the tour around HMS Victory. If you miss it then you can?t go on another tour so make sure you are there in plenty of time! The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. The guides consist of ex Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel and are highly knowledgeable. They take you aboard
the ship and give you an introduction. This is all done in English. They do have guidebooks for other nationalities. There were a few Germans in our group so they were given these. The tour involves climbing several steep stairs so is not suitable for those who use wheelchairs. They do offer a video tour for those who can?t get around the ship.

One of the first visits is to the Great Cabin. This was where Nelson planned the Battle of Trafalgar and wrote his final prayer. The dining table and chairs could be folded away in times of battle and guns could be positioned. You can see his cot, which would become a coffin if he died. Up on the Quarterdeck there is a plaque to show where a musket ball fatally wounded Nelson.

On the Lower gun Deck you can see the conditions that the men worked in during the battle. Up to 500 men would have lived on this deck and slept in their hammocks at night. The guide showed us the ?Cat o? Nine tails? which was used to flog the men that were to be punished. You also are told what they eat and drink. In the evening they were given a biscuit. These could become infested with weevils or maggots so were usually consumed in their hammocks so they couldn?t see them!

All the guns they used are shown. The carronade was the largest of these guns. It used a 68lb shot, which caused the most structural damage. They show you the order that the gun was loaded in and how cramped and noisy the conditions were for the men.

Down on the Orlop Deck you are shown where Nelson died. After he was wounded he was taken down below. It was here he uttered the words ?Kiss me Hardy?. The Orlop Deck was where the wounded men were taken. It was here the surgeon would amputate shattered limbs without the aid of anaesthetics.

This was my favourite as it was very interesting and the guides bought it to life. There were children in our group and they were fascinated by it all as well.


Royal Naval Museum

>Opposite HMS Victory is the Royal Naval Museum. It contains a collection of paintings, ship models, figureheads and medals. There are also computer screens to test your knowledge. You can also load a gun (on a computer!) and fire at another ship. It is also home to the award-winning exhibition Trafalgar! This is a recreation of the battle and it shows you how Nelson outwitted Napoleon. This is well worth seeing. You may have to wait for the next performance but you can look around the rest of the museum whilst you are waiting.


HMS Warrior 1860

HMS Warrior is the first ship you see when you enter the dockyard. It was used when there was conflict between Britain and France. It is heavily armoured and was the world?s first iron hulled armoured battleship. As well as serving in an active fleet she has also been a number of things from an oil jetty and a floating workshop. In 1979 she was taken to Hartlepool to be restored. This cost £8 million and has been the most costly and complex restoration.

You have a choice of paying extra for a headset (£1) which will give you various information as you are going round the ship. You are also given a map of the ship and numbers corresponding to the number you need to enter on the handset. There are also numbers displayed visibly around the ship.

There are four decks and steep steps throughout the ship. So it may not be suitable for everyone. However, there us alternative access to two decks. To get on the ship everyone has to go up a ramp to the Upper Deck. There is a lift from the Upper Deck to the Main Gun Deck.

When you enter the ship it as how it would have been when it was a warship. It is a very big contrast to HMS Victory. One of the things I found interesting was the cells that they had on the ship. These were used to punish those who committed serious crimes. Flogging wasn?t used as much as it would have been aboard HMS Victory. As you are free to wonder round as you p
lease you can spend as little or as much time on the ship as you like.



Mary Rose

The Mary Rose was built between 1510-1511. She was Henry VIII favourite ship and she was lost in 1545. She sank on her way to battle against the French. The worlds largest water excavation began in October 1982 when she was raised to the surface. She was taken back to No 3 Dry Dock to be restored.

You see the Mary Rose from a viewing gallery. This is because she is being treated with polyethylene glycol. This is a water based wax solution, which is used to preserve her. This began in 1994 and the process will take 20 years to complete. You are given a headset in which you are told all about the ship and how she was saved and how she is being conserved. Some parts of the viewing gallery are not clear. This is because the wax solution sticks to the screen. They inform you of this and say that they try and clean them on a regular basis.


Mary Rose Museum

The Museum is easy to spot as it has a life-size statue of Henry VIII outside it. The Museum is at No 5 Boathouse and contains 20,000 artefacts found in the wreck. The story of raising the ship is told in an audio visual theatre and a screen in the museum tells you how it sank. There are various interesting articles in the museum including a backgammon set. There is also a replica of the Barber Surgeons Cabin. In a cabinet opposite this there are the various tools he would have used: razor, surgical tool handles, medical jars, syringes and a large mallet. There are many other things including weapons that you can handle and armour that you can try on. The armour is meant for the kids though! There are various sizes of longbow so you can see if you would have been strong enough to use one.




Action Stations

Action Stations is at Boathouse No 6, which was built in 1846. It?s a new attraction, which cost £16 million, which was partly funded by the Mille
nnium Commission. It shows you what the Royal Navy is like now and brings it to life. In my opinion I would imagine this would be children?s favourite attraction. That?s not to say us adults can?t enjoy ourselves! Whether you want to join the Navy or are simply interested it in then this is just the ticket. If you are interested in a career with the Navy then you can see if you have got what it takes.

It features Command Approved, which is an auditorium showing the Navy in action. There is also a helicopter simulator in which you can fly a Merlin (remind you of Krypton Factor anyone!?) Ride the Movie is a simulator in a boat with the Royal Marines. It is warned that it?s not for the faint hearted!

I can?t stress how much fun Action Stations is. I have included the separate website so you can have a look if you are interested in it.

http://www.actionstations.org/


Harbour Tour

This is a 40 minute tour around Portsmouth Harbour. When I saw this I really wanted to go on it. We went over two days and on the Tuesday when we went they weren?t running the tour due to high winds. We were lucky when we returned the following day though. On the tour you receive a running commentary of the ships that you are passing. The guide gives you the history of them and other interesting facts. You can chose to sit inside or go outside and brave the elements (it was still quite windy so I stayed inside!) For those boozers among us there is a licensed bar on board which also sells snacks.

Three of Britains aircraft carriers (HMS Illustrious, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Invincible) were among the ships. There were also destroyers, frigates and mine warfare ships. You can also see the ship that they use for training. The tour takes you back passed the Historic Dockyard and then to Gunwharf Quays (a shopping centre). You can get off here but it means walking back to the Historic Dockyard which isn?t far.


The Dockyard is open
every day (except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).

April to October - 10.00am to 5.30pm
November to March - 10.00am to 5.00pm


The are several places to eat and drink. There is a Costa Coffee shop in the visitor centre. In Action Stations there is a Cyber Cafe which has drinks and light refreshments. At Boathouse No. 7 there is The Family Fun Pub, the Roux Express Café or Benjys, a sandwich bar. So there is something for everyone.


All in all it?s a great day out suitable for everyone. Its not really possible to see it all in one day but that doesn?t matter as you can go back whenever you like as long as you keep hold of your ticket!


Porters? Lodge,
Building 1/7,
College Road,
HM Naval Base,
Portsmouth,
Hampshire
PO1 3LJ


For further information:

www.historicdockyard.co.uk

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