Wessex Archaeology Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) EH 6440 Strategic Desk-based Assessment Ref: 84130.01 January 2013 EARLY SHIPS AND BOATS (PREHISTORY TO 1840) EH 6440 STRATEGIC DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Prepared by: Wessex Archaeology Portway House Old Sarum Park Salisbury WILTSHIRE SP4 6EB Prepared for: English Heritage Ref: 84130.01 January 2013 © Wessex Archaeology Limited 2013 Wessex Archaeology Ltd is a company limited by guarantee registered in England, company number 1712772. It is also a Charity registered in England and Wales, number 287786; and in Scotland, Scottish Charity number SC042630. Our registered office is at Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 6EB. Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) EH 6440 Strategic Desk-based Assessment ref. 84130.01 EARLY SHIPS AND BOATS (PREHISTORY TO 1840) EH 6440 STRATEGIC DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Ref: 84130.01 Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) Title: Strategic Desk-based Assessment Principal Author(s): Victoria Cooper Managed by: Nikki Cook Origination date: January 2013 Date of last revision: November 2012 Version: .01 Wessex Archaeology QA: Nikki Cook Status: Final Updated draft to incorporate comments from Summary of changes: English Heritage Associated reports: Client Approval: i Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) EH 6440 Strategic Desk-based Assessment ref. 84130.01 EARLY SHIPS AND BOATS (PREHISTORY TO 1840) EH 6440 STRATEGIC DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Ref: 84130.01 Summary The Early Ships and Boats project comprises a strategic desk-based assessment of known and dated vessels from the Prehistoric period up to 1840. At present, very few boats and ships are offered statutory protection in England in comparison to the large numbers of known and dated wrecks and even greater numbers of recorded losses of boats and ships in English waters. This project is part of a national programme of planned designation to ensure that current or future threats are addressed through the full weight of statutory protection in relation to the National Heritage Protection Plan. Data was acquired from primary and secondary sources, audited and entered into a Microsoft Access database linked to ESRI ArcGIS 9.3 mapping software. The data was assessed and characterised within the project database and selected records were enhanced. The dataset was considered alongside the non-statutory criteria for designation and the English Heritage wreck selection guide to identify sites for selective investigation. The final Early Boats and Ship database comprises 384 records of pre-1840 vessels including 47 designated wrecks, 133 records of undesignated wrecks, six boat burials, 28 historic vessels, 132 logboats and 38 findspots of craft or timbers. Following assessment, 88 of these were identified as candidates for selective investigation. ii Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) EH 6440 Strategic Desk-based Assessment ref. 84130.01 EARLY SHIPS AND BOATS (PREHISTORY TO 1840) EH 6440 STRATEGIC DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Ref: 84130.01 Acknowledgements This assessment was commissioned by English Heritage. The assistance provided by Helen Keeley, English Heritage Project Assurance Officer, is gratefully acknowledged. Further thanks go to the Heritage Data Collection Team of the National Monuments Record, Swindon and to the Historic Environment Officers and other regional staff that participated in this project. Wessex Archaeology would also like to thank the following people and organisations: • George Hogg, Collections Development (National Maritime Museum, Cornwall) and National Small Boats Register • Peter Rowe, Tees Archaeology • Ben Whittaker, Curator Merseyside Maritime Museum • Martin Woodward, Isle of Wight Shipwreck Museum Data acquisition and audit was carried out by Diana Donohue with assistance from Stuart Churchley. Victoria Cooper carried out record enhancement and data assessment and compiled this report. Thomas Dommett designed and built the project database with edits to the database and project GIS maintained by Richard Milwain. Kitty Brandon prepared the illustrations and the project manager was Nikki Cook. Data Licences Copyright restrictions may apply to data obtained from the National Record for the Historic Environment, the Historic Environment Records and the internet and bibliographic sources on which the archaeological site data is based. Wreck and obstruction data were supplied by SeaZone Solutions Limited under the Pan- Government Agreement. © British Crown SeaZone Solutions Limited. All rights reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012. iii Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) EH 6440 Strategic Desk-based Assessment ref. 84130.01 EARLY SHIPS AND BOATS (PREHISTORY TO 1840) EH 6440 STRATEGIC DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT Ref: 84130.01 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................1 2. METHODOLOGY SUMMARY ........................................................................................2 3. STAGE 1: DATA ACQUISITION, AUDITING AND MAPPING ......................................3 3.1. DATABASE .......................................................................................................................3 3.2. DATA ACQUISITION AND AUDITING ....................................................................................7 National Record for the Historic Environment .................................................................7 Local Authority Historic Environment Records................................................................7 United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (SeaZone)............................................................8 National Historic Ships and National Small Boats Registers ..........................................9 Wessex Archaeology, Goodwin Sands and Downs Archaeological Investigations ........9 Museum of London Archaeology Hulk Assemblage Project .........................................10 Museum Collections......................................................................................................11 3.3. MAPPING ........................................................................................................................12 4. STAGE 2: DATA ASSESSMENT AND CHARACTERISATION..................................13 4.1. DATA ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................13 Deleting Records...........................................................................................................13 NRHE dataset ...............................................................................................................13 Date of Build..................................................................................................................14 Additional Records from Alternative Sources................................................................16 Record Enhancement ...................................................................................................16 4.2. RECORD CHARACTERISATION .........................................................................................18 Build ..............................................................................................................................18 Use................................................................................................................................19 Loss...............................................................................................................................20 Survival .........................................................................................................................21 Investigation ..................................................................................................................21 5. STAGE 3: IDENTIFICATION OF SITES FOR SELECTIVE INVESTIGATION............22 5.1. NON-STATUTORY CRITERIA AND WRECK SELECTION GUIDES ..........................................22 5.2. ASSESSMENT BY TYPE....................................................................................................25 Designated Wrecks .......................................................................................................25 Undesignated Wrecks ...................................................................................................25 Boat Burials...................................................................................................................30 Historic Vessels.............................................................................................................30 Logboats .......................................................................................................................31 Findspots.......................................................................................................................32 5.3. ASSESSMENT BY PERIOD ................................................................................................33 Early Prehistoric (500,000 – 4000 BC)..........................................................................33 iv Early Ships and Boats (Prehistory to 1840) EH 6440 Strategic Desk-based Assessment ref. 84130.01 Late Prehistoric (4000 – 54 BC)....................................................................................33 Roman (54 BC – AD 410) .............................................................................................34 Post-Roman to Norman Conquest (410 AD