18th century shipwreck among ‘best preserved’ of its time, experts say

Latest diving surveys have revealed a “remarkable” completeness of the wreckage of an 18th century English warship preserved on the seabed.

Twenty metres deep underwater and nine miles off the Kent coast, the Northumberland shipwreck is said to potentially be one of the “best preserved” wooden ships.

The latest survey, organised by Historic England with MSDS divers, found wooden decks, lengths of rope, copper cauldrons, and wooden chests with some preserved cannon balls inside had survived “particularly well”.

The 320-year-old protected wreck site is at high risk of deterioration as shifting sands expose it to processes which may erode the well preserved wreckage, Historic England said.

Its licensee Dan Pascoe, who monitors the site, said: “The Northumberland has the potential to be one of the best-preserved wooden warships in the UK.

“However, at 20 metres underwater and nine miles offshore, it is out of sight and mind to most people.”

The Northumberland was a third rate 70-gun warship built in Bristol in 1679 as part of Samuel Pepys’s regeneration of the English Navy.

It sank during the “Great Storm” on November 26, 1703 off Kent along with three other warships, including The Mary – the location of which is still unknown.

They were all part of Queen Anne’s fleet, the last Stuart monarch, reigning from 1702 to 1714.

A film made by streaming service History Hit airs on Thursday detailing the new survey and the initial construction of the Northumberland.

Creator Dan Snow said: “Northumberland is the missing link. Built roughly halfway between the Mary Rose and HMS Victory, this wreck can fill in crucial details of shipbuilding and life at sea at that pivotal moment in our history.

“We have the Mary Rose, the ‘Tudor time capsule’ – well here’s a Stuart time capsule to sit alongside it.”

Future work on the site may include taking wood samples or dendrochronological sampling to find out more about the ship’s construction and confirm its identity.

Paul Jeffery, marine leader at Historic England, said: “The completeness of the Northumberland wreck site is remarkable.

“It is a race against time as more of the Northumberland wreck becomes exposed.”