Shifting sands reveal more of ‘remarkably preserved' 1600s English warship
The Northumberland shipwreck is said to potentially be one of the best preserved wooden ships, and was found 20 metres (66ft) underwater and nine miles off the Kent coast in 1980.
Now wooden decks, lengths of rope, copper cauldrons and wooden chests with some preserved cannonballs inside, which have survived 'particularly well', have been uncovered by a survey organised by Historic England with MSDS divers.
The near 350-year-old protected wreck is at high risk of deterioration as shifting sands expose it to processes that may erode the well preserved wreckage, Historic England said.
Dan Pascoe, its licensee who monitors the site, said: 'The Northumberland has the potential to be one of the best-preserved wooden warships in the UK. However, at 20 metres underwater and nine miles offshore, it is out of sight and mind to most people.'
The Northumberland was a third-rate 70-gun warship built in Bristol in 1679 as part of Samuel Pepys's regeneration of the English navy.
It sank during the 'Great Storm' of Nov 26 1703 off Kent along with three other warships, including The Mary, the location of which is still unknown. They were all part of the fleet of Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch, who reigned from 1702 to 1714.
A film made by streaming service History Hit, detailing the new survey and the initial construction of the Northumberland, airs on Thursday.
Creator Dan Snow said: 'Northumberland is the missing link. Built roughly halfway between the Mary Rose and HMS Victory, this wreck can fill in crucial details of shipbuilding and life at sea at that pivotal moment in our history.
'We have the Mary Rose, the Tudor time capsule – well, here's a Stuart time capsule to sit alongside it.'
Future work on the site may include taking wood samples or dendrochronological sampling to find out more about the ship's construction and confirm its identity.
Paul Jeffery, the marine leader at Historic England, said: 'The completeness of the Northumberland wreck site is remarkable. It is a race against time as more of the Northumberland wreck becomes exposed.'
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