Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark is a British clipper ship built in 1869 on the River Leven in Dumbarton, Scotland. She was one of the last and fastest tea clippers, designed for speed to carry high-value cargo. The ship’s name comes from Robert Burns’s poem, where a witch in a short shift chases a fleeing man. After steamships took over the tea trade, Cutty Sark switched to carrying wool from Australia. She later served as a training ship before being moved to Greenwich for public display. Cutty Sark is one of only three surviving composite ships from the 19th century, with a wooden hull on an iron frame. She survived two fires in recent years and was restored with support from major funders. The ship inspired Cutty Sark whisky and a flying boat model. She is recognised as part of the National Historic Fleet. Her design was influenced by earlier fast ships like The Tweed. Visitors find Cutty Sark in a dry dock at Greenwich, where she has been displayed since 1954. The ship’s sharp hull and tall masts show how clippers were built for speed. Inside, the decks and rigging reveal the working life of a 19th-century sailing vessel. The surrounding area in Greenwich includes historic maritime sites. The ship’s history reflects the end of an era for sail-powered trade.