Summary
The wreck of a pre-1840 unknown wooden sailing vessel thought to be later C18 in origin.
Reasons for Designation
The wreck of this later-C18 coastal sailing vessel is scheduled for the following principal reasons:
* Rarity: lost and wrecked vessels of the period 1500 to 1815 in English waters are relatively rare and number fewer than a hundred;
* Survival: despite the effects of weathering, a significant portion of the vessel survives and it retains a number of key characteristic features;
* Potential: it has considerable potential for providing insight into late 18th century and later boat construction materials and techniques and for coastal trade during this period;
* Documentation: the importance of this vessel is considerably enhanced by the information obtained from structural and archaeological survey including dendrochronology;
* Historic: the coastal trader was a once prolific and highly significant part of the expansion and development of England’s mercantile trade.
History
The wreck of a wooden vessel was reported to the Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust (MAST) in June 2013. A preliminary archaeological survey was carried out followed by a dendrochronology survey; from the latter was obtained a terminus post quem of AD 1768 for one of the hull timbers. The vessel is considered to be of English origin as its construction is characterised by the use of fast grown, low quality oak trees, suggesting that the timber used was not traded from abroad. The species were identified as oak for the hull, larch for the mast and elm for the possible pump. It is considered likely that given the nature of the timber and its provenance, that the vessel was a coastal trader. MAST has identified a shortlist of possible candidates for the identification of the wreck. By the time of a visit made at very low tide on Sunday 5th January 2014 no surface traces of the wreck were visible and the formerly exposed parts have become covered by sand once again.
Details
The wreck is situated within the intertidal zone of Bamburgh Castle Beach. The vessel is lying stern ashore and on its starboard side so that only the port side became exposed in 2013. The formerly visible remains measured 22.5m long by 5m wide, although as there was considerable evidence for buried material at the site the actual dimensions are expected to be considerably larger. Although the hull on the formerly exposed port side of the vessel is largely missing, two layers of deck beams are present. The starboard side of the hull is considered to survive from the keel to just below the turn of the bilge. The hull is of carvel construction using predominantly wooden treenails and the planking of the outer hull where it survives on the port side is 11.5cm thick and 16cm wide. The ceiling planking is 4cm thick and 24cm wide. The surviving structure from amidships to the stern consists of eroded frames. Several other structural remains were recorded including lower and main deck beams, the former with unusual circular holes running through them, the survival of which suggests the likely survival of decks below the sand. The wreck retains several rare surviving features, including the lower portions of at least one mast; that in the bows is cylindrical and 1.2m in circumference. Adjacent to the stern face of this mast is a small squared off timber interpreted as a bollard used to tie off rigging ropes. A cylindrical object in the stern is of uncertain function but could be a second mast or a pump tube. The remains of a windlass with an octagonal section is also present.
Sources
Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
