The oldest shipwreck that has survived in English waters, dating from the 13th century, has received the highest level of protection from the UK government after it was discovered in Poole Bay, Dorset.
The ship, along with its load of stone, including two beautifully carved marble tombstones, was discovered by a local charter operator in 2020, after storms disturbed the seabed near a route. crowded sea.
The excavation revealed the “exceptionally preserved” wooden remains of one side of his hull, which had been weighed and protected by the cargo of the worked and unworked Purbeck marble vessel.
Archaeologists were able to identify that the superimposed woods were made of Irish oak and, through the analysis of tree rings, came from trees felled between 1242 and 1265, during the reign of Edward III.
Although the sites of a small number of Bronze Age shipwrecks are known from their remaining cargo, their timber has long since disappeared, making it the oldest shipwreck in England. whose helmet survives. Prior to this discovery, no remains of any sea-going ships were known in English waters between the 11th and 14th centuries.
Wooden hull planks. Photography: University of Bournemouth / Historic England
“This is a very, very important discovery,” said Hefin Meara, a maritime archaeologist at Historic England, which oversees protected wrecks on behalf of the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
“This is a cargo-laden ship going nowhere. It’s a cliché but it’s a time capsule: this is a ship that does exactly what it was meant to do. And we can learn a lot from that.”
The two carved tombstones are similar to the examples still seen in the churches of the time, but unlike them they are in impeccable condition, with the chisel marks still clearly visible. Each is decorated in a different cross style, which until now archaeologists thought dates from different eras, says Meara.
“But this shows that in reality these designs were contemporary and in use at the same time. And so the question is: are these things made to order? Or are they speculative and shipped?
“This is evidence from the industry: they are extracting the stones, cutting them, mending them. And it shows that these are really desirable products. [being] exported everywhere and everywhere, all along the coast of England, to Ireland, to the mainland. And this gives us a really interesting indication that not only the stone itself was desirable. They are the skills of local artisans. “
Elements found in the wreck. Photography: University of Bournemouth / Historic England
Two other newly discovered shipwrecks have also received the same level of protection from the government. Both were found on the Tile Bank near the Isle of Wight, a known navigational hazard for ships sailing beyond the Needles to the Solent. While these remains are not as old, dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, they are also “exceptionally rare,” according to Heritage England.
The oldest ship, labeled as NW96, carried a load of lead ingots dating back to before 1580 and stone cannonballs. Ingots, of fixed size and weight, would have been used as currency for trade and then converted into anything from bullets to lead pipes or ceiling boards.
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Several cannons were found on Shingles Bank’s other ship, the NW68, one of which was smelted in Amsterdam between 1621 and 1661. Archaeologists believe the ship was probably of Dutch origin, and may have been involved in the battle of Portland in 1653 during the first Anglo-Dutch War.
Like the Dorset wreck, both boats were found by local divers with a detailed knowledge of the sea, which Meara said was “very exciting”: “It’s great to have this partnership between us and recreational divers, guardians of boats and archeological companies. It just shows what happens when we all work together. We make these fascinating discoveries. “