Golden Hinde (1973)


The Golden Hinde is a full-size replica of the Golden Hind. She was built using traditional handicrafts in Appledore, Torridge. She has travelled more than, a distance equal to more than five times around the globe. Like the original ship, she has circumnavigated the globe.

Construction

Golden Hinde was commissioned by Albert Elledge and Art Blum of San Francisco, designed by naval architect Loring Christian Norgaard and built by J Hinks & Son of Appledore, The keel was laid on 30 September 1971 and construction took two years. She was launched on 5 April 1973 by Diana, Countess of Devon.
Specifications:
Golden Hinde sailed from Plymouth on her maiden voyage in late 1974, arriving on 8May 1975 in San Francisco, to commemorate Sir Francis Drake's claiming of New Albion, believed to be somewhere in California. Having completed the filming of the TV series Shogun the vessel lay moored in Taura Harbour, Yokohama for over six months. Starting in late 1979 she was sailed back to England via Hong Kong, Singapore, then across the Indian Ocean and through the Red Sea and Mediterranean in time to join the celebrations commemorating the 400th anniversary of Drake's triumphant return to England. Between 1981 and 1984, she was berthed in England and was established as an educational museum, but in 1984–1985 she sailed around the British Isles and then crossed the Atlantic to the Caribbean. In 1986, she passed through the Panama Canal to sail on to British Columbia for the World's Fair in Vancouver. In 1987, she began a tour of the US Pacific coast, visiting ports in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California. In 1988, she passed back through the Panama Canal to visit Texas. In 1989, she visited ports on the Gulf of Mexico. In 1990–1991 she entered a series of seaports on the east coast of the US, in 1992 returning home to tour the British Isles again.

Use in films

Golden Hinde has been featured in four films: Swashbuckler, Shogun, Drake's Venture and . She also appeared briefly in the first episode of the TV series Shaka Zulu.

Use as a museum

Since 1996 she has been berthed at St Mary Overie Dock on Cathedral Street, in Bankside, Southwark, London, between Southwark Cathedral and Clink Street. She hosts visits from schools in which children can dress up as Tudor sailors and receive living history lessons about Elizabethan maritime history.