Sae Wylfing is the half length working replica of the Sutton Hoo Anglo- Saxon ship – half size in length, but only an eighth of the size of the full Sutton Hoo ship by volume.
Sae Wylfing (“sea wolf cub” in Old English) was built by Edwin Gifford in 1993 to explore ideas (then current) regarding the shape of the ship, and to test its possible means of propulsion, rowing or under sail. It is currently on long term loan and being cared for by the Woodbridge Riverside Trust.
She is normally kept on the water in order to keep her wooden hull from drying out and splitting.
Her planking is made from Columbian pine and is quite thin at approximately10mm. Her gunnels are of oak for strength to which the tholes (rowlocks) are fixed. She has been fitted with a wooden floor to help to keep the pressure of people walking on the planks and causing damage
She has a mast and mast step fixed midships This was installed by her builder to establish whether she could be propelled under sail. .
Sae Wylfing has been and continues to be a wonderful ambassador for Woodbridge Riverside Trust, for The Longshed, and for Woodbridge.
Earlier this year, she was in action, under oars on the River Deben in Suffolk, for the 2025 Woodbridge Regatta.
And for her recent visit to Kingston on Thames we give our thanks to Melton Boatyard, the costume department at Sutton Hoo and the volunteers from Woodbridge Coastal Rowing Club and The Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company who rowed her in the Thames Alive pageant
WRT is grateful for the financial support towards the cost of maintaining and managing Sae Wylfing that has been provided by from the Community and Conservation Fund of the former Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB (now Suffolk and Essex National Landscapes), and others.
At present she has been fitted out with temporary tholes which are higher than the permanent ones in order that Sae Wylfing can be used to trial the oars which have been made by The Sutton Hoo Ships Company (SHSC) for the replica ship. She will also be used to trial various different steer boards (rudders) to establish the best design for the replica. Woodbridge Riverside Trust are delighted to support SHSC’s request to undertake these trials.
We are also grateful to the volunteers from the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company who help with maintaining her.
In 2014 when she was entrusted into the care of Woodbridge Riverside Trust, Sae Wylfing was brought to Woodbridge and was initially stored in the old Whisstocks boatshed Sae Wylfing arrives at Woodbridge August 2014 After 14 years of being on dry land, in 2017 Sae Wylfing was on on the river for filming of Life on the Deben, and as backdrop for performances of The King’s River opera held in Whissocks Place during the construction of the new properties. Sae Wylfing is a great ambassador for the Woodbridge Riverside Trust, her lines are beautiful and where she is moored is a great place to take a picture that includes The Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum. Over several seasons past Sae Wylfing has appeared and been a highlight at many events and shows not only in Suffolk, but also at the British Musem in London for the Council for British Archaeology open event in July 2019. Sae Wylfing is currently moored on the river next to the Whisstocks slip way where she will remain for the next few months. Her job is to remind us of this part of our local Anglo-Saxon heritage. Adjacent to the slipway and at the river end of the Longshed you will find a QR code that will give all the information and latest news about Sae Wylfing.
Some special thanks:
Woodbridge Riverside Trust is very grateful to Suffolk Coastal District Council for the financial support they have given towards the cost of maintaining and managing Sae Wylfing. This has been made available through the Enabling Communities Grants scheme. We would also like to thank the Coasts and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natuaral Beauty (AONB) Community and Conservation Fund for grant funds provided towards her new mast.
The Woodbridge Boatyard who stored her in their boatyard during the pandemic lockdowns and recently carried out necessary repairs to her hull replacing eight of the planks, a new mast has has been made as the original had seveal splits in its length. The Boatyard have also lauched her on a couple of accasions recently. The new mast under construction
During 2023 much work has been done by volunteers to install a new floor and to repaint her both inside and out and her original cover has been modified so that she can be protected agaist the worst of the elements while still afloat.