Wessex Archaeology Strategic Environmental Assessment Sea 6: Irish Sea Maritime Archaeology Ref: 58890 May 2005 Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA 6: Irish Sea MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY Technical Report Ref: 58890 May 2005 Wessex Archaeology Portway House Old Sarum Park Salisbury SP4 6EB This document was produced as part of the UK Department of Trade and Industry's offshore energy Strategic Environmental Assessment programme. The SEA programme is funded and managed by the DTI and coordinated on their behalf by Geotek Ltd and Hartley Anderson Ltd. Crown Copyright, all rights reserved Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 28778 Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA 6: Irish Sea MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY Technical Report Ref: 58890 Acknowledgements This report has been commissioned by Geotek Ltd. and Hartley Anderson Ltd. on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry. Frank Mallon compiled the report, and the project was managed for Wessex Archaeology by Deanna Groom. Kitty Brandon prepared the illustrations. Wessex Archaeology would also like to thank: • Dr. Nial Brady of the Archaeological Diving Company Ltd. for permission to reproduce images of the Gormanstown logboat; • Professor Dr. Marek E. Jasinski of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology for permission to reproduce images from the Ormen Lange Marine Archaeology Project; • Debbie Corner of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum for permission to reproduce images of the submarine HMS H5. • Allison Fox of Manx National Heritage for information on legislation and history of the Isle of Man. ii Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA 6: Irish Sea MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY Technical Report Ref: 58890 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 2. LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK........................................................................ 2 2.1. OUTLINE ..................................................................................................................... 2 2.2. UNITED KINGDOM ...................................................................................................... 3 Introduction................................................................................................................ 3 Protection of Wrecks Act 1973: Section One............................................................ 3 Protection of Wrecks Act 1973: Section Two. .......................................................... 4 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 .......................................................... 5 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 ........................................ 6 Merchant Shipping Act 1995..................................................................................... 6 2.3. ENGLAND.................................................................................................................... 7 2.4. NORTHERN IRELAND................................................................................................... 8 2.5. SCOTLAND .................................................................................................................. 9 2.6. WALES...................................................................................................................... 10 2.7. ISLE OF MAN............................................................................................................. 11 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 11 Manx Museum and National Trust Act 1959 – 1986. ............................................. 11 Wreck and Salvage (Ships and Aircraft) Act 1979 ................................................. 12 Harbours (Isle of Man) Act 1961............................................................................. 12 2.8. REPUBLIC OF IRELAND.............................................................................................. 12 2.9. MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF ........................................ 13 3. HISTORY OF MARITIME ACTIVITY IN THE IRISH SEA.................................. 15 3.1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 15 3.2. LOWER, MIDDLE AND EARLY UPPER PALAEOLITHIC (500,000 – 18,000 BP) ........... 16 3.3. LATE UPPER PALAEOLITHIC (18,000 BP – 9,000 BC)............................................... 16 3.4. MESOLITHIC AND NEOLITHIC (9,000 – 2500 BC)..................................................... 17 3.5. BRONZE AGE (2500 – 300 BC) ................................................................................. 19 3.6. IRON AGE AND ROMAN (300 BC – 500 AD)............................................................. 20 3.7. EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD (500 – 1177 AD)............................................................ 21 3.8. MEDIEVAL (1177 – 1600 AD) .................................................................................. 22 3.9. POST MEDIEVAL (1600 – 1800 AD) ......................................................................... 23 3.10. MODERN................................................................................................................... 25 4. ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS: SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION ............................. 27 4.1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 27 4.2. WRECK INVENTORIES ............................................................................................... 27 iii 4.3. WRECKS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................... 28 4.4. THE INCIDENCE OF WRECKING: HAZARDS................................................................ 29 4.5. VOLUMES OF SHIPPING ............................................................................................. 29 5. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS .................................................................................. 31 5.1. OUTLINE ................................................................................................................... 31 5.2. HISTORIC AND PROTECTED WRECKS ........................................................................ 31 5.3. COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS.................................................................... 31 5.4. DEVELOPMENT-LED INVESTIGATIONS ...................................................................... 32 Dublin Bay Sewerage Pipeline Development, 2001................................................ 32 IC2 Gaspipeline Interconnector: Scotland to Ireland, 2002 .................................... 33 5.5. STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS .................................................................................... 33 England’s Historic Seascapes .................................................................................. 33 England’s Shipping.................................................................................................. 34 Navigational Hazards............................................................................................... 34 5.6. INVESTIGATIONS PROMPTED BY RESEARCH AND OUTREACH ................................... 34 The Nimble............................................................................................................... 34 The Taymouth Castle............................................................................................... 35 6. POSSIBLE IMPACTS OF OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES ......................................... 36 6.1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 36 6.2. EXPLORATION........................................................................................................... 36 Magnetic and Gravimetric Surveys ......................................................................... 36 Hydrocarbon Seeps.................................................................................................. 37 Seismic Survey ........................................................................................................ 37 Bathymetric Survey ................................................................................................. 38 Sub-bottom Profiling ............................................................................................... 38 Magnetometer Survey.............................................................................................. 38 Borehole and Vibrocore Survey .............................................................................. 38 Grab Survey............................................................................................................. 39 Diving Operations and Inspections.......................................................................... 39 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) ..................................................................... 39 6.3. EXPLORATORY AND APPRAISAL WELLS ................................................................... 40 6.4. CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................................................ 40 6.5. ONSHORE WORKS..................................................................................................... 40 6.6. DECOMMISSIONING................................................................................................... 41 7. METHODS OF INVESTIGATION