The Matthew Of Bristol

In 1497 John Cabot and his crew set sail from Bristol to find a new trade route to Asia. Instead however he arrived on the coast of Newfoundland and therefore was the original discoverer of North America, not Christopher Columbus as most people believe. To celebrate the quincentenary of this momentous trip, a replica Matthew was built between 1994 and 1996. In 1997 the new Matthew followed the same course as John Cabot in 1497 and sailed across to Newfoundland. It carried the same number of crew members as the original and took the same amount of time to complete the crossing. Today The Matthew is based in Bristol Harbour and is open to the public as well as undertaking short cruises around the harbour. In the summer the Matthew sometimes travels further afield, exploring the wild seas around the British Isles and Northern Europe – creating a spectacle wherever she ventures.