Artefacts
There is not yet sufficient evidence to establish where the ship was built. Severe (but ancient) damage to the mast-step of the ship may be the reason why the vessel was brought into Newport for repair. Why the ship was then abandoned is currently unknown.
During excavation several hundred objects were found within the ship, ranging from a stone cannon ball to grape seeds and including a damaged hour glass, an expensive shoe, pieces of cork and some Portuguese coins. The seeds, cork and coins would suggest trade to and from the Iberian peninsula and the presence of Merino sheep wool in the caulking material supports this idea; but is not conclusive proof. Members of the Albaola Society based near Bilbao in the Basque region of Spain, after studying the ship's structural details believe that the ship may have been built by Basque shipwrights, either in the Basque lands or in what is now south-western France.
Most current funding for the preservation of the ship comes from the Heritage Lottery Fund with smaller contributions from the National Assembly for Wales and Newport City Council.
Read more about this topic: Newport Ship