Skillington Shipyard

Thomas Skillington established a shipyard at the mouth of Trippe Creek, approximately two miles upstream from Oxford on the Tred Avon River off the Choptank River in Talbot County. This yard was probably the largest shipyard in the province at that time. A full-sized ship of 450 tons was built here as well as the 385-ton armed escort Elizabeth, built for Gilbert Livesley of London to defend merchant ships from pirates and French privateers.

This shipyard may be the same that was said to be located at Shipyard Poynt and operated from 1600 to 1669. Also on the Tred Avon River was a second shipyard operated by the Barlett-Dixon family. Here was built the brig Bloomfield which was sailed around Cape Horn by Captain Haddaway about 1848 with knockdown houses which were sold in San Francisco at a handsome profit.

(Choptank River Cultural Resources Inventory, 1999-2002)

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