1911 4th January
Cape Evans Landing
The expedition lands at Cape Evans on 4 January. Evans joins the shore party while Lieutenant Harry Pennell takes command of Terra Nova.
Antarctic exploration · permanent subject timeline
Cape Evans Base and Scott's Hut
The principal winter headquarters of the Terra Nova Expedition. This page combines historical context with 14 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Terra Nova archive.
Historical context
Cape Evans Base and Scott's Hut: overview and significance
What happened?
The expedition landed at Cape Evans on Ross Island in January 1911 and established its main winter quarters there. The prefabricated hut became the centre for scientific work, planning, equipment preparation and daily expedition life.
Why was it important?
Cape Evans was the operational heart of the expedition. Scientific observations, transport preparation and the southern journey were all organised from this base, which survives as one of Antarctica's most important historic sites.
World History Database records
Cape Evans Base and Scott's Hut timeline
The records below are selected from the 89-record Terra Nova archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1911
1911 4th January
Terra Nova Expedition
Scott names the west Ross Island winter-quarters site Cape Evans in honour of Edward Evans.
1911 4th January
Winter Quarters Established
Cape Evans becomes the principal base of the Terra Nova expedition.
1911 21st January
Terra Nova Grounding
Terra Nova briefly grounds near Cape Evans while manoeuvring around the ice edge.
1911 25th January
Terra Nova Leaves Winter Quarters
Pennell takes Terra Nova away from Cape Evans to continue ship operations and return toward New Zealand.
1911 25th May
Terra Nova Pony Management
Oates oversees the ponies at Cape Evans, monitoring their condition and exercising animals intended for the southern journey.
1911 22nd June
Terra Nova Winter Celebration
Maintains morale during the Antarctic winter before the southern journey.
1911 August
Cape Evans Marine Science
His measurements form part of the Terra Nova scientific programme.
1911 August
Terra Nova Expedition Documentation
His images create an extensive visual record of the expedition.
1912
1912 22nd February
Second Relief Voyage Arrives
The ship brings supplies and additional transport animals.
1912 22nd February
Terra Nova Returns to Cape Evans
Terra Nova returns to Cape Evans during the expedition's second season.
1912 February
Edward Evans Evacuated
Evans reaches safety after severe scurvy and is later evacuated from Antarctica aboard Terra Nova for medical recovery.
1913
1913 18th January
Terra Nova Return
Returns in Terra Nova for the expedition's final relief.
1913 19th January
Final Cape Evans Departure
Evans oversees the final departure from Cape Evans as Terra Nova takes the remaining expedition members north from Antarctica.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database Terra Nova records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
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