Containers of earth representing the four nations involved in the Mayflower 400 commemorations, together with a time capsule, have been placed inside the newly restored portico at the Mayflower Steps.
Samples of earth from Leiden in the Netherlands, Plymouth, Massachusetts, the native American Wampanoag tribe and Plymouth in England have been sealed in the monument which has undergone an extensive restoration.
George Garmany, the Governor General of General Society of Mayflower Descendants, who helped to fund the restoration works, unveileda commemorative plaque to mark the end of work on this important landmark.
The portico was built in 1934 to commemorate the sailing of the Mayflower as a pivotal event in history. It has local, national and international importance, and is Grade II Listed. The Mayflower Steps are close to the site where the Mayflower sailed from in 1620 to the New World.
Over the last year stonemasons have been on site to restore the monument as well as the Mayflower Steps themselves.