Marina Projects has supported a 2025 archaeological excavation at Buckler’s Hard on the Beaulieu River, where the Buckler’s Hard Shipyard Trust, the University of Southampton’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology, the Maritime Archaeology Trust, students, volunteers and local community members worked together to examine the remains of the shipbuilding village.

Buckler’s Hard was one of the busiest private shipyards during the 1700s and produced 55 wooden warships for the Royal Navy. The excavation is part of wider heritage work led by the Shipyard Trust, which aims to preserve traditional shipbuilding knowledge, support education and recreate elements of the original yard for the public.

The excavation focused on No. 2 slipway, an 18th-century structure used in the building and launch of Royal Navy warships, including vessels associated with Admiral Lord Nelson. Work at the site uncovered oak shipbuilding timbers, along with pottery, glassware, metal artefacts and structural remains from the old yard.

Researchers believe the slipway may be the first of its kind fully exposed in the United Kingdom.

Marina Projects is a marine sector consultancy with experience in the development and delivery of marina and boatyard projects. The company coordinated with environmental and heritage bodies to secure the permissions needed for the excavation in compliance with statutory protections for the site.

Mike Ward, managing director of Marina Projects, said: “Our team is delighted to have supported such a significant heritage project. Buckler’s Hard is an irreplaceable part of Britain’s maritime story, and helping to unlock new understanding of its shipbuilding past aligns closely with our values of sustainable, historically aware marine development.”

Mary Montagu-Scott, Buckler’s Hard Shipyard Trust chairman, said: “The dig exceeded all expectations as so much of the structure has survived preserved under the mud and soil. This will give a greater understanding of how the largest 64 and 74-gun ships were built and launched across the bend in the river. I really enjoyed digging with the team and was amazed how much we found and uncovered each day but there is still so much more to excavate in the future to aid our understanding.”

Further archaeological work is planned for July and August 2026. The next phase will include intertidal diving in the area and study of the foundations of the shipyard buildings, led by the Maritime Archaeology Trust under director Garry Momber, with support from volunteers.

Images from Marina Projects.