Abstract
In 1846, a protracted underwater excavation took place in the Thames Estuary, some 11km north-north-east of Margate, Kent. The focus of this pioneering project was an ancient shipwreck, but the objective was simply to salvage as much of its valuable, if prosaic, cargo as possible. The historic significance of the discovery was not completely overlooked, however, for at a meeting of the British Archaeological Association in December of that year, a handful of items recovered from the wreck were discussed (Anon, 1847). They included a tin ingot stamped with the royal mark (a rose surmounted by a crown); a knife with a double fleur-de-lis stamped on the blade; a roundtoed leather shoe and a silk doublet of late 16th-century type. To accompany the display, the following note was read:
Highlights
That was until the Port of London Authority (PLA) began clearance work in the Princes Channel in 2003, to facilitate the passage of modern shipping heading into the new Thames Gateway container port, when the remains of the Elizabethan ship were dramatically rediscovered
Once the fieldwork in the Thames estuary was complete, the five substantial sections of the hull raised from the sea bed were temporarily transferred to Horsea Lake in Hampshire, while deliberations began as to how such an important but unexpected find should be dealt with
The project was co-ordinated at UCL, given the Institute of Archaeology’s long association with maritime archaeology, with the Nautical Archaeology Society and with the study of London
Summary
Once the fieldwork in the Thames estuary was complete, the five substantial sections of the hull raised from the sea bed were temporarily transferred to Horsea Lake in Hampshire, while deliberations began as to how such an important but unexpected find should be dealt with. Appreciating the unique significance of the discovery for nautical archaeology, as well as for London and the long history of its port, the PLA generously agreed to support an innovative 5-year research programme. The project was co-ordinated at UCL, given the Institute of Archaeology’s long association with maritime archaeology, with the Nautical Archaeology Society and with the study of London. Work commenced in 2007, when a steering group was set up to oversee the programme, chaired by Professor Clive Orton, with representation from the PLA (Gill Andrews), the Receiver of Wreck (Alison Kentuck), the Nautical Archaeology Society (Mark Beattie Edwards), the Museum of London (Hazel Forsyth and Roy Stephenson) and Gresham College (Geoff Pavitt), as well as from the University of Southern Denmark and UCL
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