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.

The Sae Wylfing (Sea Wolf Cub in Anglo Saxon language) was built by Edwin Gifford in 1993 to explore ideas then current on the shape of the ship,
and to test it as a sailing boat. You can see from the image below that she sails well and is very manouverable
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 th 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. Recently however we have not been able to take her on the road as we have lost our towing vehicle and many of our re-enactors have not been avialable due to Covid. It is hoped that next season she will again be a spectacle at many events if WRT can procure a suitable vehicle.
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. She will on occasion be loaned to the Sutton Hoo Ships Company (a seperate organisation) for the training of their rowing crews for the full size replica that they are builing in the Trust’s Longshed.
Or you can contact the Sae Wylfing team on saewylfing@woodbridgeriversidetrust.org
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 likre 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 have stored her in their boatyard during the pandemic lockdowns and have recently carried out necessary repairs to her hull and have made a replacement mast as the originalhad seveal splits in its length. The Boatyard have also lauched her on a couple of accasions recently
The new mast under construction Ewan with his creation