Incredible progress is being made to preserve Lord Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory, with shipwrights, scientists and conservationists working side by side in the £42 million restoration dubbed The Big Repair — a decade‑long fight against rot, beetles, and the slow decay of time.
Deathwatch beetles, notorious for boring oak timbers, were discovered deep in the ship’s frame. Their larvae, capable of feeding on wood for up to 13 years, had caused serious damage, with a live colony now on display at the London Zoo, where visitors can witness the pests that once plagued Nelson’s vessel.
“Deathwatch beetles are very much the rock stars of the beetle world — they literally drum away in timbers to attract mates,” said Diana Davis, head of conservation at the National Museum of the Royal Navy. “However, the real damage comes from their larvae, which spend up to 13 years feeding on timber before they emerge as adults.”
The collaboration with Cranfield University and the Zoological Society of London has turned the infestation into an opportunity for research. “Working with a live colony like this helps us to understand their behaviour in the ship’s timbers, expanding our knowledge, which in turn we’ll share with heritage sites around the UK and beyond,” Davis said.
According to Paul Pearce‑Kelly, the senior curator of invertebrates at London Zoo, deathwatch beetles play an important role in maintaining healthy woodland ecosystems, but much about their behaviour remains unknown. “Our collaboration with this conservation initiative is helping to develop beetle monitoring techniques, which may also help some of the world’s most endangered invertebrate species.”
Commissioned in 1778, HMS Victory was built from 6,000 trees, armed with 104 guns, and stretched more than 227 feet. It became the centrepiece of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where Nelson was fatally shot — a moment etched into British history. Today, much of the ship’s hull has already been replaced, guided by 3D digital models.
“Repairs to the hull have been progressing well, and following years of conservation science research, activities now focus on the completion of the starboard side of the hull and the conservation of the oldest oak frames on the port side of the ship,” Davis said. “Uncovering the hidden areas of the ship’s historic fabric isn’t something that happens often, and we are finding something new every day.”
For Simon Williams, project manager, the restoration is both technical and symbolic. “Conserving a ship of this scale, age and importance is a unique challenge. Thanks to the skills and expertise of our shipwrights and the wider project team, we are making incredible progress with two‑thirds of planned futtock repairs complete.”
Wood Central understands that restorers have uncovered relics of past hands — a payslip, a ruler, and knife‑etched marks used to track construction. Today’s shipwrights are adding their own signatures: 16 names carved into the 100th oak futtock. “Victory is so much more than the story of Nelson and Trafalgar — she’s about all the people and events that have shaped her history and enabled her to survive,” Williams said.
Why HMS Victory is being rebuilt with French Oaks…
Much of Victory’s new timber is arriving from France — a twist of history. “France… certainly has superiorly managed forests to the UK,” Williams explained. Napoleon himself ordered mass plantings in the 1600s, while Nelson once urged Britain to replenish its oaks. Two centuries later, the ship depends on French wood to survive.
Due for completion in 2032, The Big Repair aims to preserve HMS Victory for at least another half‑century. The project has already been commended by the Museums + Heritage Awards, and its leaders hope the work will inspire both scholarship and public engagement.
“It’s fantastic to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award, an achievement made possible by our expert team of shipwrights, conservators, archaeologists, and riggers who work tirelessly to protect this icon of Britain’s naval history,” Williams said. For visitors, the restoration offers a rare chance to watch history being saved in real time. As Davis put it: “Our visitors are fascinated by the work that goes on as part of The Big Repair, and giving them unprecedented access to see the work take place in real‑time is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience.”
- To learn more about the restoration of HMS Victory and Lord Nelson’s concerns about the state of British forests, click here for Wood Central’s special feature from October 2024.
