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The Boats That Built Britain

Tom Cunliffe

Lawrence Walford

Jonah Weston

The Boats That Built Britain: Episode 1: The Matthew

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The Matthew

Episode 1

Episode 1: The Matthew

BBC Four - The Boats That Built Britain, The Matthew

The story of the boat in which explorer John Cabot landed in North America in 1497.

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe sails the Matthew, the boat in which John Cabot left Bristol in 1497 and landed 3,000 miles later in what we now know is North America.

No ship has ever made a more important discovery than the Matthew. In 1497, explorer John Cabot left Bristol on this little boat and 3,000 miles later landed in what we now know is North America. His discovery would change Britain and the world forever. 

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe sails the Matthew for himself and finds out just how this incredible little boat made a journey into the unknown and came back to tell the story.

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Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe takes a voyage through the history of British seafaring

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe takes a voyage through the history of British seafaring and puts some of the vessels featured in the programme through their paces

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Episode 1: The Matthew

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