The fore topsail is from Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory

The 3,618 sq ft fore topsail from Nelson's HMS Victory will be displayed at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, as part of this year's bicentenary event.

It is recognised as the largest single original artefact from the battle.

Pock-marked by some 90 shot holes, the sail would have been one of the main targets for French and Spanish guns.

It (the topsail) is a testament to the skill of the Georgian sail makers who manufactured the sail that it still remains intact today Lieutenant Commander Frank Nowosielski

Lieutenant Commander Frank Nowosielski, Commanding officer of HMS Victory, said: "It is a great honour to be able to display the only surviving sail from the Battle of Trafalgar to the public during this bicentennial year.

"HMS Victory's fore topsail is a unique artefact from the battle and from the period.

"It is a testament to the skill of the Georgian sail makers who manufactured the sail that it still remains intact today."

It measures 80ft at its base, weighs about 370kg, and would have taken experienced sail makers about 1,200 hours to stitch it together.

Manufactured in the sail loft at Chatham in 1803, the sail remained on HMS Victory until the ship returned for repairs after the Battle of Trafalgar in1806.

It was displayed at an exhibition in 1891 and then onboard HMS Victory for the centenary of Trafalgar in 1905.

It was many years later discovered in a sail loft at Victory barracks, now HMS Nelson, in 1960, covered by gym mats.

The precious artefact is now kept in environmentally-controlled conditions in Storehouse 10, within the Historic Dockyard.