A twelve-foot replica model of the infamous Mayflower has been revealed as part of Dartmouth Museum’s new exhibition.

The model, built by Captain Ian Kirkwood, is now centre stage in the new Mayflower Exhibition in the Butterwalk.

The exhibition was delayed from last year’s Mayflower 400 events due to Covid restrictions.

Exhibition chairman Spencer Wigley said: “The minute you walk in the door the twelve-foot replica model of the Pilgrim Fathers’ Mayflower takes your breath away.

“Walk around the other side and the interior of the ship is revealed and lit. You can see the way the ship was built, the way she was steered and how the anchor was raised.

“You can also see the sacks of stores and barrels of water and wine, the cannons, galley, and the passengers and crew. These figures were made by a world-renowned maker of museum quality manikins.”

Inside the model ship the Pilgrim figures are seen signing the Compact - the first governing contract of the new colony and said to be the inspiration for the US Constitution.

The exhibition was launched with a premiere of the Mayflower film in The Flavel, followed by a presentation on the building of the model. Invited guests then walked over to the museum to view the new exhibition for the first time.

The event was presented by Spencer Wigley and introduced by the museum’s chairman Brian Parker. Captain Ian Kirkwood, the Mayflower model builder, gave a short talk and was on hand to answer questions in the museum.

Invited guests included the Mayor, Cllr Graham Webb, Sir Geoffrey and Lady Mary Newman, many of the town’s businesspeople who had supported the model build, and many of the volunteers at Dartmouth Museum.

Spencer Wigley said: “After over 4,500 hours and five years of effort, the exhibition is a triumph for the two teams that have been working on the project, one helping Captain Ian Kirkwood with the build of the replica model and the other designing and putting together the audio – visual presentation and many other parts of the exhibition.

“We now have an exhibition that will be a permanent visitor attraction for Dartmouth all year round. It will be interesting to locals and be an educational tool for all ages.

“The project has also been a wonderful example of community involvement - generous donations, use of Britannia Royal Naval College premises for the workshop, the supply of specialist equipment and machinery and giving a simple helping hand when needed. Without these nothing would have been possible.”

Captain Ian Kirkwood added: “I’ve built a full size working 1760 sixth rate Frigate but here we had a unique twelve-foot model. I managed to get the original Baker plans of the Mayflower II from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and reduce them to scale. At every stage we had to improvise. We had to modify the build techniques to match the skills of our volunteer team. We had to be flexible on the project plan as the availability and skill sets of the volunteer team would constantly change. We had to find specialist equipment and cope with team illnesses and, of course, Covid 19.”

The exhibition also features audio-visual presentations of the Mayflower Story and the story of the build of the replica model; a large new painting of Dartmouth in 1620, the year the Pilgrims visited Dartmouth on their way to the New World, by the artist David Marsh; ten illustrated floor to ceiling panels with details of the Mayflower story; and a mock-up of a carpenter’s cabin, alongside other artefacts, paintings and drawings.

Spencer Wigley added: “Don’t miss it. Behind the simple tale of the Pilgrim Fathers is a story of adventure, greed and epic drama. The exhibition delves into the many complications of the story starting with religious intolerance in Europe running through to the relationships with and impact on the Native Americans – a truly revealing and educational experience.”