Three South Coast shipwrecks given highest protection

Three shipwrecks off the coast of the Isle of Wight and Dorset have been granted the highest level of cultural protection possible.

The 16th century Shingles Bank Wreck NW96 and 17th century Shingles Bank Wreck NW68, which were both discovered by divers Martin Pritchard and Dave Fox off the Needles Channel have been protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

The same protection has been granted to Poole Bay’s 13^th century Mortar wreck, the oldest known protected wreck in English waters where hull remains can be seen. Tree-ring dating indicates the timber used in construction of the hull dates back to the reign of Henry III.

The survival of 13th-century vessels is extremely rare, and prior to this discovery, there were no known wrecks of seagoing ships from the 11th to the 14th century in English waters. The wreck was discovered by Trevor Small, who has operated diving charters from Poole in Dorset for the past 30 years.

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The protection means that divers need a special licence from Historic England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to dive in the wrecks. There are 57 such wrecks in English waters. Artefacts in the vessels are protected and their condition is monitored.

NW96 and NW68 are thought to have become stranded on the infamous Shingles Bank in the Needles Channel. They contain the remains of several cannons, a large anchor, at least 50 lead ingots and stone cannonballs,

Initial analysis of the ingots suggests they were cast in a furnace known as a ‘bole’. As boles fell out of use from around 1580, this would imply the NW96 wreck dates from before then, a theory supported by the stone cannonballs found, which were outdated by iron shot by the end of the 1700s.

Martin Pritchard co-finder of the Shingles Bank wrecks said: “I am very pleased that these shipwrecks dating to the 16th and 17th centuries have been granted the highest level of protection. They are a remarkable find. Working with Historic England, volunteer divers and archaeologists, we will continue to investigate, understand and record these wreck sites.”

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Meanwhile, the Mortar Wreck was discovered with two Purbeck stone gravestone slabs from Dorset in immaculate condition with visible chisel marks. The fact they were pre-carved suggests a demand for highly skilled stonemasons and their products.

Other finds include a large cauldron for cooking soup, a smaller cauldron, which would have once had a long handle for heating water and mugs covered in concretion – a hard solid mass which forms over underwater objects over time.

Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “These fascinating shipwrecks can reveal so much to us about our national history and it is right that we protect them for future generations. The survival of the 13th century Mortar Wreck is particularly rare, with timbers dating to Henry III’s reign, and the 16th and 17th century Shingle Bank Wrecks shed light on historical trading.”

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