Susan Constant
Specifications:
Length Overall: 116’
Beam: 24’ 10”
Draft: 11’ 9”
Mast Height: 95’
Sail Area: 3,902 square feet
Year Built: 1991
120 tons burden
Christopher Newport, Captain
54 passengers and 17 crew, est.
Susan Constant was the flagship and the largest of the three ships that brought the first permanent English settlers to America in 1607. While anchored in the River Thames near Limehouse, it was involved in a minor collision with another vessel which led to a case in the High Court of Admiralty. The resulting court records were used to assist in determining the size of this re-creation. The original was probably built in 1605 and almost certainly built on the River Thames near London. Soon after the Jamestown colony was planted, the Susan Constant returned to England, continuing its career as an ordinary trading vessel.
Marker can be reached from Jamestown Road (Virginia Route 31), on the left when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
