Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – Maritime archaeologists from Bournemouth University are currently excavating timbers from a suspected 17th-century shipwreck that surfaced on a beach following winter storms. The remains were found on January 28 at Studland Bay in Dorset, an area managed by the National Trust. Experts believe these timbers may be part of the Swash Channel wreck, which has been identified as an armed Dutch merchant ship that sank in 1631.
Experts think the remains discovered at Studland Bay are likely to have originated from this section of the hull of the Dutch merchant ship, the Fame. Credit: Bournemouth University
“It’s really exciting to find this piece of historical ship. During our excavation of the Swash Channel wreck in 2013, there were pieces of the ship missing and we do believe a section of the hull has now been revealed at Studland.” BU’s Maritime Archaeologist Tom Cousins, who led the survey of the timbers, said.
The Swash Channel wreck was discovered in the 1990s within the Swash Channel, an important shipping route leading to Poole Harbour. Research and historical documentation suggest that the wreck is of Dutch or German origin, most likely identified as ‘The Fame’ from Hoorn—a Dutch merchant vessel that ran aground and sank in 1631.
Excavation of the Swash Channel wreck took place in 2013, following ten years of prior investigation into the site. Credit: Bournemouth University
The visible portion of the ship measures about 6 meters in length and 2 meters in width, comprising at least fifteen frames joined by wooden treenails to five outer hull planks. While the frames show signs of erosion, the hull planks remain exceptionally well-preserved.
Originally, there would have been an additional layer of internal planking; however, this has not survived. The evidence indicates that these remains were buried under sand since the 1630s and have been periodically exposed over time. This burial pattern accounts for both the loss of inner planking and frame erosion while explaining why the outer hull planks are still in such good condition.
Credit: National Trust
‘The Fame’ was a substantial vessel, measuring approximately forty metres in length, ten metres in width, and fifteen metres in height. Designed for transatlantic voyages to the Caribbean to collect salt, it was equipped with over forty guns for protection against pirates. According to historical records, the ship ran aground after dragging its anchor onto a notorious sandbank and subsequently broke apart. All 45 crew members were able to abandon ship safely; however, local residents quickly looted the wreck.
Archaeological excavations uncovered rare decorative wooden carvings from the site, suggesting that ‘The Fame’ was a high-status ship. Among these artefacts is an intricately carved head believed to represent either a Roman or Dutch soldier—a reflection of traditional Dutch maritime craftsmanship.
Credit: National Trust
In 2013, following nearly a decade of underwater investigations and what became the largest excavation since that of the ‘Mary Rose’, significant parts of the wreck—including the carved head and an 8.4-metre (25-foot) rudder—were recovered. These artefacts are now on display at Poole Museum.
“I’m always astounded by the history we find at Studland but this has been a real treasure. The wooden tree nails are still in place and holding after four hundred years – what a testament to the craftmanship at the time,” Tracey Churcher, General Manager for the National Trust in Purbeck said.
A carved head of a man on the Fame rudder at Poole Museum. Credit: Bournemouth University
Final confirmation will be achieved through dendrochronology testing, a scientific method that analyzes tree ring patterns to determine the age and origin of the timbers used in the ship’s construction. This process will help establish whether these timbers match those previously examined from the Swash Channel wreck. The research team at BU has submitted an application to Historic England for permission to excavate the timbers, based on the assumption that they are part of a protected wreck site.
See also: More Archaeology News
“The Swash Channel wreck is one of only 57 shipwrecks around the coast of England designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. Firmly dated remains of vessels predating 1700 are exceptionally rare. We can’t say for certain that these fragments come from that wreck site, but it’s an intriguing possibility,” Hefin Meara, Maritime Archaeologist from Historic England, said.
Protected wrecks are safeguarded by law due to their archaeological and historical importance. Any disturbance or interference with these sites is only allowed under an official licence. If excavation is approved, the recovered timbers will be added to the collection at Poole Museum. In the meantime, visitors are encouraged to help preserve the site by refraining from touching or damaging the exposed timbers.
Source: Bournemouth University
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer