NELSON’S flagship HMS Victory is to undergo renovations using newly felled oak timber – a return to the original hardwood used to build the ship 250 years ago.
Three Scottish estates have donated 10 oak trees and 11 elm trees towards the 15-year conservation project on the world’s oldest commissioned warship, which is docked at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Hampshire.
HMS Victory, which carried Nelson for his greatest and final battle at Trafalgar, was built from more than 5,500 oak trees and inspired the Royal Navy’s anthem march Hearts of Oak.
Now the Aberdeenshire estates of Dunecht, Haddo and MacRobert Trust have donated timber to continue the tradition as Victory, which was launched in 1767, enters its 250th year. Charles Pearson of Dunecht has donated 10 oaks and four elms, Lord Aberdeen of Haddo has donated five elms and Rear Admiral Christopher Hockley of the MacRobert Trust Estate has donated two elms.
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