17th century shipwreck washes up on Studland Bay

Timbers that were washed up on a beach in Studland on 28 January following winter storms are believed to be from a historic shipwreck dating back to the 17th century.

The wooden frames were identified by Bournemouth University’s (BU) maritime archaeologists. Tom Cousins, who led the survey, believes the timbers are very likely to be a section of the Swash Channel wreck, a shipwreck first discovered in the 1990s in the Swash Channel, a key shipping approach to Poole Harbour. Analysis and historical records indicate the wreck is Dutch or German in origin and most likely ‘The Fame’ from Hoorn, a Dutch merchant ship which ran aground and sank in 1631.

Cousins said: “It’s really exciting to find this piece of a historic 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.”

In 2013, after almost 10 years of underwater investigations and what became the largest excavation since the ‘Mary Rose’, parts of the Swash Channel wreck — including an intricate wooden carving of a head, a 25 ft rudder and other artefacts — were brought to the surface. They are now on display at Poole Museum.

The washed-up remains measure approximately 6 m long and 2 m wide and consist of at least 15 frames connected with wooden treenails to five outer hull planks. The frames appear eroded, but the hull planks are in excellent condition.

There would originally have been another layer of planking on the inside of the vessel, but this appears to have been lost. The archaeology team say this suggests the remains have been buried in sand since the 1630s and intermittently exposed over the centuries. This explains why the inner planks are missing and the frames eroded, while the outer hull planks have survived in good condition.