Latest news with #Historic England
BBC News
13-08-2025
- General
- BBC News
Wrecked English warship's cannon found on seabed off Kent coast
Cannons and coils of rope from an English warship that sank in 1703 have been discovered by Northumberland, a large 70-gun ship built in Bristol in 1679, sank off the Kent coast during high winds in what was known as "The Great Storm". The latest survey to inspect the site, held in July, also revealed wooden chests containing musket balls, swords and wooden Meara, one of the Historic England maritime archaeologists who went on the diver, said: "What we're seeing on the seabed is that big, big element of the ship structure. It's fantastic." Shifting sands means experts were able to see that The Northumberland, built for the Royal Navy by Bristol shipbuilder Francis Baylie, is more complete than previously thought."It's the exact kind of ship you think about when you think of great big warships of the age of sail," Mr Meara told BBC Radio Bristol. He said a long series of investigations and surveys will now take place to "answer more questions of the past".Mr Meara, who dived about 65ft (20 metres) to the ship, said: "On the dives we can see this great big iron cannon, there's large bits of wooden ship structure."But because it's so intact you can see a lot of the organic material you don't normally see - things like coils of rope, smaller wooden objects and organic artefacts like that. "They're all lying on that decking, exactly where they would have been when the ship went down." He added any work to lift the warship out of the sea is very expensive and would take significant restoration work."As soon as you lift it out of the water, it's at risk of decay," he said.
BBC News
07-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Medieval harbour and historic cinema among sites to be restored
Four historic sites in Devon and Cornwall are set to be restored for future generations thanks to a £15m government money will pay for repairs to Penzance's historic Market House and Newlyn's 700-year-old medieval will also be spent on restoring the Gaumont Cinema, which was prominent in Plymouth's 1930s nightlife, and the transformation of a historic civic building in Penzance into a music centre. Louise Brennan, director of regions at Historic England, said thanks to extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, the authority can "breathe new life into neglected buildings that we haven't been able to help through our existing schemes". Louise Brennan, director of regions at Historic England said: "Thanks to the extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are able to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings that we haven't been able to help through our existing grant schemes. "This initiative will not only boost economic growth but also create amazing opportunities for people in some of the nation's most disadvantaged areas."We're thrilled to support projects that harness the power of heritage to make a real difference where it's needed most."The grant, which is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, operates alongside Historic England's existing Heritage at Risk programme, targeting sites that are in need of immediate action to prevent further deterioration.
BBC News
31-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Warship wrecked in 1703 near Kent is more complete than expected
A wrecked near-350-year-old English warship is more complete than previously thought, Historic England has Northumberland, which sank off the Kent coast in 1703 during the Great Storm, has been a protected wreck since 1981.A new site assessment, seen by the BBC, revealed the wreck "remains high risk" as moving sand exposes the Northumberland, which was built in in Bristol in 1679, reportedly lost all 253 crew members when it sank on Goodwin Sands, south-east of Ramsgate. Historic England maritime archaeologist Hefin Meara said it was "quite likely that there's a huge amount of the vessel itself surviving buried beneath the seabed".The Royal Navy vessel's wreck is close to those of ships from the same fleet - the Stirling Castle and the Restoration - which sank at the same time.A wreck of the Mary, which also sank in the storm, remains undiscovered. According to the new assessment, compiled after dives to the vessel in July 2024, at least seven guns from three different decks of the ship were visible on the sea Meara said metal items from shipwrecks often survive, but at the Northumberland's site there is also "incredibly good preservation" of organic material, such as ropes, chests, and the vessel divers reported they found "high potential for an abundance of well-preserved material culture" that might give insight into life onboard navy warships at the time. Mr Meara said: "We always knew it as a well preserved site but I think nobody was expecting it to be quite so well preserved."Dan Pascoe, holder of the licence to dive at the wreck site, said the Northumberland "has the potential to be one of the best-preserved wooden warships in the UK". The site assessment contained a recommendation that the wreck stays on the Heritage at Risk Register as it "remains unstable and under threat".Paul Jeffery, Historic England marine team leader, said "it is a race against time" to protect the site. Historian and broadcaster Dan Snow said the wreck "can fill in crucial details of shipbuilding and life at sea at that pivotal moment in our history".Snow is fronting a documentary about the Northumberland and its wreck, which will air on his streaming service History Hit on Thursday.
BBC News
27-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Charity appeal to save prehistoric ritual site in Cornwall
Cornwall Heritage Trust has launched a fundraising appeal to rescue and secure the future of a "unique prehistoric ritual site".The charity said it hoped to raise £50,000 towards the acquisition of Castilly Henge, just off the A30 near Henge is a substantial oval earthwork, with an external bank and internal ditch, which the trust said would have formed an amphitheatre-like settings for gatherings and ritual trust said the scheduled monument, described as "Cornwall's ancient sacred heart", was currently at risk due to the threat posed by "invasive vegetation". It said modern development of the nearby road infrastructure and local service network, which lie within meters of the site, also posed potential charity also said the henge was currently inaccessible to the CEO Cathy Woolcock said: "The henge has been at risk for some time – a threat which urgently needs to be addressed before this special place and the secrets it holds are potentially lost."She said the charity had been protecting historic landscapes and monuments across Cornwall for the last 40 years."We have a strong track record of giving these special places the archaeological and land management expertise they need and have helped save a number from the Heritage at Risk Register," she said."We hope to be able to do the same for Castilly Henge." The trust said recent surveys undertaken by Historic England's Archaeological Investigation Team discovered traces of a now-removed possible stone circle in the middle of the henge. "Not all henges contain stone circles, and there is only one other known to survive in Cornwall," it added."A four-week archaeological excavation is set to take place at the monument in September and October 2025 to target important questions about these findings to understand more about the monument's character, date and potential later reuse."
The Independent
16-07-2025
- The Independent
Interactive map celebrates treasured landmarks around England's coast
An interactive map of treasured coastal landmarks has been launched online by Historic England. The public body said the tool aims to celebrate the country's vibrant seaside heritage, and people are being encouraged to share information about coastal landmarks that hold personal significance. As part of Historic England's Missing Pieces Project, people are asked to submit photos, drawings, written information or audio recordings about landmarks that hold a special place in their hearts. This could be a childhood holiday destination or a local landmark that symbolises home. The map celebrates nearly 300 years of seaside history, from elegant Victorian piers to beloved 20th century amusement parks, among destinations that welcome millions of visitors each year. Among the landmarks on the map are the Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which was built in 1923 and is the second oldest in-use rollercoaster in Britain, after the Scenic Railway at Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, Kent. The Big Dipper is one of only 37 pre-Second World War wooden rollercoasters worldwide, of which four are at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The Pleasure Pier at Southend-on-Sea in Essex, believed to be the longest pier in the world, is also on the map. It was first constructed in 1889 with later additions and rebuilds. The art deco, lido Jubilee Pool in Penzance, Cornwall; Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland; De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex; Peasholm Park in Scarborough, North Yorkshire; and the Palace Pier in Brighton also feature. Duncan Wilson, chief executive, Historic England, said: 'Our seaside places hold a special place in our national story, yet the full richness of their heritage cannot be captured without the first-hand accounts, images and memories of those who've experienced them. 'I encourage people to contribute to the Missing Pieces Project, so we can all help ensure these treasured coastal landmarks are celebrated.' Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross, said: 'Our seaside communities play a huge role in telling our national story. 'I encourage everyone to contribute to the Missing Pieces Project to preserve the history of our coastal towns and breathe new life into their future.' To share your photos and memories of coastal landmarks, and to see the interactive map which goes live on Thursday July 17, see
