LV21 Lightvessel

LV21 Lightvessel was built in 1963 by Philip & Son Ltd of Dartmouth, Devon. Constructed of steel and measuring approximately 133 feet long with a gross registered tonnage of 390, she holds a special place in maritime history as the last lightvessel built by the renowned Dartmouth shipbuilders. Her launch marked the closing chapter of a long and distinguished tradition of British lightship construction.

Ordered by Trinity House in June 1962, LV21 was launched on 16 September 1963 and handed over later that December. Over the course of her working life, LV21 served on several major lightvessel stations. From 1976, she was stationed at East Goodwin, followed by service at Varne from 1980. While on the Varne station, she was involved in a collision in June 1981 with the vessel Ore Meteor, sustaining damage to her bow, mast and lantern. Repairs were carried out at Vosper ship repairers, with LV3 temporarily taking her place on station.

By the late 1980s, the traditional role of crewed lightvessels was evolving. Between 1987 and 1988, while in the River Tyne with Dry Dock & Repair, LV21 was converted to operate as an automatic lightvessel. This transformation reflected wider changes in navigational technology and reduced reliance on permanently crewed offshore vessels.

Following her conversion, LV21 continued to serve Trinity House with postings at the Channel station from 1995, a return to East Goodwin between 1997 and 2001, and finally at the Sevenstones station in 2003. After more than four decades, she was decommissioned by Trinity House in 2008 and laid up at the Trinity House Depot in Swansea.

Rather than being broken up, LV21 was preserved and given a new future. In December 2009, she was acquired by Gary Weston and Päivi Seppälä, who recognised her potential as a distinctive arts and cultural space. Extensive restoration followed, carefully balancing respect for her historic fabric with the practical needs of public use.

In 2014, LV21 had a brief trip northwards when she was towed to the Great North Run opening ceremony in Newcastle. 

Today, LV21 operates as a floating cultural venue, hosting a diverse programme of art exhibitions, live music, performances, workshops and educational activities. Spaces throughout the vessel – from deck areas to the engine room – have been imaginatively repurposed, with the ship’s industrial character forming an integral part of the visitor experience.

In 2024, her lantern was repatriated from St Mary’s Lighthouse where it had been on display, and is now back on board in the exhibition area.

Previously moored at St Andrew’s Quay in Gravesend, Kent, LV21 departed in November 2024 for Chatham. After a short period on a temporary berth, she secured a permanent home within the Historic Dockyard Chatham, where she continues her cultural mission in a fitting historic maritime setting.

LV21 is open to the public during scheduled events, exhibitions and workshops, with details of forthcoming activities available via the LV21 website.