Day 14 – Portsmouth Historic Dockyard & Arundel Castle

23rd July 2017

The ISCA crew set off this morning to pursue the experience of the legendary HMS Victory and conquer a bold yet beautiful castle that is Arundel Castle.

With our trusted Hodge’s Coach drivers, our travels took us south, to the port city of Portsmouth. Rich in its maritime heritage, the city is home to the historic dockyard where HMS Victory sits in the oldest dry dock in the world. The most famous ship in England’s history survived and won fierce battles in the late 1700s and early 1800s which cemented dominance in the seas for England, keeping its land safe from invaders. So when our students weaved through the ship’s various decks, they got as close as physically possible to stepping through time into a world of bravery, honour and sacrifice. Through the previous day’s workshops, students learnt about the ship’s relationship with its most famous Admiral – Lord Nelson, and how his tactical astuteness, along with the ship’s prowess, led to the partnership which resulted in the most famous and crucial naval victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Students stood around the plaque on the upper decking which marked the spot where Lord Nelson lay after being fatally shot and saw the cannons which could crush opponents that stood in the ship’s way.