Sunken 17th-century ship resurfaced after winter storms at Studland Beach
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The remains of a 17th-century ship recently resurfaced after winter storms ripped up a beach in the UK.
The ship was found at Studland Beach in Dorset, on the southwest coast of England. Bournemouth University announced the discovery in a press release on February 9.
The ship is believed to be a ship named “The Fame”, a merchant ship from Hoorn, Netherlands, which sank after running aground in 1631.
The timbers were about 20 feet long and about 6.5 feet wide, and officials said the ship’s section “consisted of at least 15 frames connected by wooden nails to five outer hull planks.”
“The frames appear worn, but the body shells are in excellent condition,” the statement said.
The remains of a 17th-century merchant ship have resurfaced on Studland Beach after severe winter storms, officials said. Underwater images show the possibly related Swash Channel wreck on the right. (National Trust, Fleur Castell; Bournemouth University)
“There was originally going to be another layer of plating on the interior of the ship, but this appears to have been lost.”
The planks have been buried since the 1630s and have been “occasionally exposed” since then, according to the university.
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“This explains why the interior linings are missing and the frames are corroded, while the outer body linings remain in such good condition,” the statement said.
“He reportedly dragged the ship’s anchor and ran aground on a nearby infamous beach, where he broke his back.”
Although the planks have only recently surfaced, the wreck itself was first discovered in the Swash Channel near Poole Harbor in the 1990s.
During an excavation in 2013, archaeologists noticed that some parts were missing and now they believe these parts have been found.
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According to the statement, the ship would have the capacity to carry more than 40 weapons to defend itself against pirates during its voyages to bring salt to the Caribbean.
“It was also reported that the ship dragged its anchor and ran aground on a nearby infamous beach, where it broke its back,” he said.
National Trust officials are urging visitors not to touch or damage exposed timber as shifting sands continue to expose sensitive parts of the protected area. (National Trust, Jamie Lamb-Shine)
“Records state that all 45 crew members abandoned the ship safely, but residents quickly began looting the wreckage.”
Tracey Churcher, chief executive of the National Trust in Purbeck, described the discovery as “a real treasure”.
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“I am always amazed by the history we find in Studland,” he said in a statement.
“The wooden nails are still there and lasting 400 years later – what a beautiful testament to the craftsmanship of that time.”
“Four hundred years ago, the area where the wreck was uncovered, which is now the beach, was offshore.”
National Trust spokeswoman Fleur Castell said an excavation was planned for the near future.
Castell told Fox News Digital that the discovery “highlights the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of Studland’s coastline.”
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“Four hundred years ago, the area where the wreck was uncovered, which is now the beach, was offshore,” he said.
Castell added that shifting sands and powerful winter storms have accelerated changes to the shoreline, exposing fragile sections of protected debris that officials say should not be disturbed.
Officials said the exposed timbers probably belonged to the Dutch merchant ship “The Fame”, which ran aground and sank in 1631. (Bournemouth University)
Visitors are “asked to help preserve the site by not touching or damaging exposed timbers,” the statement said.
Tom Cousins, a marine archaeologist who examined the wreck, told Fox News Digital that the site is now protected by the National Trust.
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“Historic England will then fund a project to take the timbers back to our conservation laboratory in Poole, where we can record them in detail,” he said.
Dendrochronology testing will determine the ship’s precise age and what experts hope is its identity.
Dendrochronology testing is expected to determine the exact age of the wood and confirm the identity of the ship in the coming months. (National Trust, Jamie Lamb-Shine)
This discovery is the latest in a long list of historic marine finds from last year.
Last summer, authorities announced they had detected two slave ships off the coast of Central America.
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Also, a century-old ship was found last year under an old fish market in Spain.
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