Compelling evidence points to a shipwreck discovered in February 2024 off Sanday, Orkney, being the Earl of Chatham. This vessel was formerly known as HMS Hind, a Royal Navy frigate. The identification was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Wessex Archaeology, Dendrochronicle, and local community researchers, with support from Historic Environment Scotland and Orkney Islands Council.
A sixth rate 24-gun frigate, HMS Hind saw many years of active service, including the sieges of Louisbourg and Quebec in the 1750s and the American Revolutionary War in the late 1770s. Once it was decommissioned, it was sold and renamed the Earl of Chatham, becoming a mighty 500-ton whaling ship. This was common for Royal Navy ships as their excellent build quality allowed them to withstand the icy conditions of British whaling routes. As the Earl of Chatham, it completed four seasons in the Arctic before ultimately meeting its end in the Bay of Lopness in March 1788. It carried 56 sailors on-board at the time, all of whom survived.
A sixth rate 24-gun frigate, HMS Hind saw many years of active service, including the sieges of Louisbourg and Quebec in the 1750s and the American Revolutionary War in the late 1770s. Once it was decommissioned, it was sold and renamed the Earl of Chatham, becoming a mighty 500-ton whaling ship. This was common for Royal Navy ships as their excellent build quality allowed them to withstand the icy conditions of British whaling routes. As the Earl of Chatham, it completed four seasons in the Arctic before ultimately meeting its end in the Bay of Lopness in March 1788. It carried 56 sailors on-board at the time, all of whom survived.
After the timbers were first discovered by the community of Sanday last year, Dendrochronicle conducted a dendrochronological assessment and analysis of the wood. They were able to determine that the ship was built with wood from south and southwest England. Once the provenance of the timbers was established, archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology, local community researchers, and the Sanday Heritage Centre spent several months working with archives and community records to find the most likely candidate for the ship. This research was further supported by Sanday Heritage Group and Orkney Archaeology Society.
The Sanday Wreck, now believed to be the Earl of Chatham, was revealed due to changes in the climate. Increased storminess and unusual wind patterns led to removal of the covering sands which had hidden and protected the wreck for centuries. Changes to coastlines, which are predicted to accelerate in coming decades, could make similar finds more common.
Ben Saunders, Senior Marine Archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology, said:
“It is thanks to our dedicated team of community researchers and the evidence they have gathered that means we have been able to identify the Sanday Wreck with a reasonable degree of confidence. Throughout this project, we have learned so much about the wreck, but also about the community in Sanday in the 1780s.“
The timbers are currently housed in a freshwater tank at the Sanday Heritage Centre to conserve them, where visitors can find out more about the wreck’s story and Sanday’s history. The tank was funded by National Heritage Memorial Fund and provides a stable environment for the timbers, which if not submerged in water would begin to dry out and crumble after so long buried in the intertidal sands.
Article from: 250-year-old shipwreck discovered in Orkney gives up its secrets Historic Environment Scotland
