Medieval Shipwreck Discovered Off the Coast of England – RisePEI
An area constitution boat captain found a medieval shipwreck in 2020 close to Poole Bay on the southern coast of England, Bournemouth University introduced final week. The shipwreck is the primary recognized shipwreck stays from the eleventh to the 14th century.
The shipwreck was preserved on account of distinctive environmental components, in keeping with maritime archaeologists now excavating and analyzing the positioning.
“Only a few 750-year-old ships stay for us to have the ability to see right this moment and so we’re extraordinarily fortunate to have found an instance as uncommon as this, and in such good situation,” Tom Cousins, a maritime archaeologist, mentioned in a press release to Bournemouth College. “A mix of low-oxygenated water, sand and stones has helped protect one facet of the ship, and the hull is clearly seen.”
Trevor Small, the native sea captain who found the wreck, mentioned he has been searching for shipwrecks for years.
“I used to be born right into a seafaring household,” Small mentioned within the announcement. “I’ve skippered hundreds of sea miles searching for shipwrecks from my house port of Poole. In summer time 2020, I found what I believed to be an undetected wreck web site. Latest storms had revealed one thing unknown on the seabed. I used to be granted permission to dive the wreck. The remainder is historical past! I’ve discovered one of many oldest shipwrecks in England.”
The archaeologists have taken to calling the positioning the “Mortar Wreck” because the ship was carrying stone from the British island of Purbeck, which was used to make mortars for grinding flour, and a few mortars as effectively. The stone was an vital constructing materials in Gothic structure and was typically used for gravestones. Sometimes called Purbeck marble, the stone is in truth limestone.
The Poole Museum, a neighborhood historical past museum in Poole, might be displaying artifacts found within the shipwreck, which has new maritime-dedicated galleries.