From the dock, she feels modest at first. But that impression doesn’t last. It’s difficult to imagine 70 to 80 people living on board, eating, sleeping and working within a ship that, even now, feels tight.
The wood creaks slightly, the space closes in, and the distance between past and present begins to narrow. It stops feeling like something to look at, and starts to feel inhabited.
As Luke Pereira puts it, “the value of her is how tactile she is.”
You don’t need much time on deck to understand what he means. It’s physical, immediate, and surprisingly human.
For Angus, now Managing Director of the Golden Hinde, that connection runs deeper still. It’s something he has grown up with. “I was giving tours at the age of about six.” His father, Roddy, bought the ship in 1984, and it has been part of his life ever since. He adds, “It’s something I’ve never not known… I’ve been lucky enough to grow up alongside it.”
It’s a reminder that the Golden Hinde isn’t just an object to be preserved, but something that has been lived with, worked on, and carried forward over time.
That sense of continuity extends beyond the ship itself. Education sits at the centre of everything the team does. As Aimee Parnell explains, “the primary mission is education… everything else… is to support that.”
That mission runs through every part of the ship’s offering. From school visits to events, workshops and even intimate performances, the aim is the same: to bring people into contact with the story in a way that feels accessible and real.
There is a careful balance to strike. The team have recently introduced a digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app, offering visitors photos, videos and additional context. But the priority remains the same: to enhance the experience without pulling attention away from the ship itself.
Accessibility is part of that ongoing conversation. While there are physical limitations to what can be done with an authentic Elizabethan replica, the team are actively exploring ways to improve access. Proposals for a ramp and shop would allow more visitors to access the Main Deck, while also supporting the continuation of the refit.
Thirty years on from arriving in London, the Golden Hinde continues to evolve. What might appear static from the outside is, in reality, a ship still being repaired, adapted and cared for.
It would be easy to walk past without a second thought. But stepping aboard reveals something far more substantial. Not just history, but something still very much alive.
What stayed with me most was the sincerity of the people behind it. In a city where prices continue to rise and experiences become increasingly curated, there is something quietly powerful about a place that remains committed to keeping it affordable, to education, and to keeping its story open to anyone willing to step aboard.
I highly encourage a visit to the Golden Hinde, it’s the perfect way to break-up a day out in London and there’s loads of other heritage attractions in the area, if that’s your flavour. Ultimately this attractions survive on their stories being passed down through the generations and that’s why they’re so important. It’s one thing learn about them and another. That, and it’s perfectly possible to enjoy a full day out in the area for £20 per person.
See more at: https://www.goldenhinde.co.uk/
Colin Cushion 
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