Scale: 1:24. a contemporary half block model of the cutter-rigged racing yacht Dryad (1846). The hull is made entirely of wood in bread and butter fashion with naturally varnished wood below the waterline and black topsides above to the level of the deck. The bow is slightly curved and raking with the stempost joining the keel at the forefoot. The long overhanging counter stern is also raked and fitted with an angled transom above the sternpost to which is fitted the rudder. The whole model is mounted on a wooden backboard which is painted a light blue/grey and finished with a raised moulded edge of stained and varnished mahogany to which is attached an old label inscribed "No N 2014 Rec'd 1893 "Driad" (scale 1: 24) Presented by Professor J W Groves, Tunbridge Wells. This cutter yacht was built at Cowes in 1846 by Messrs White & Sons for Mr Delafield. Her leading Dimensions were Tonnage 85 tons Length 72 ft Breadth 20ft Draught of water 11ft A built whole model of this yacht to a larger scale is also in the collection.

The yacht was owned by Lieutenant-General James Thomas Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan from 1854 to 1859. Cardigan was a officer in the British army and famously led the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava in October 1854, during the Crimean War. He slept on the 'Dryad' in Balaclava Harbour before participating in the battle.