The identity of a shipwreck discovered in February 2024 on the island of Sanday in Orkney has now been revealed. All available evidence points to the wreck being the Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy vessel called HMS Hind which was latterly renamed once it became a whaling ship.
Wessex Archaeology, working with Dendrochronicle and community researchers, identified the ship thanks to funding from Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
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.
View of the Taking of Quebec, 13 September 1759. Coloured engraving, artist unknown, published by Laurie and Whittle, 53 Fleet Street, London, 1 November 1797. Courtesy of the National Army Museum, Out of copyright
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.
Sanday was infamous for shipwrecks at the time, called ‘the cradle of shipwrecks in Scotland’, but the community was equally well-known for its hospitability as it looked after sailors who fell afoul of the area’s stormy seas.
“We are grateful to the support from our partners, and we’re delighted to be able to share our work on this intriguing wreck.”
Alison Turnbull, Director of External Relations and Partnerships at HES, said:
The discovery of the Sanday Wreck is a rare and fascinating story.
"Wessex Archaeology worked closely with the community of Sanday to discover the ship’s identity, which shows that communities hold the keys to their own heritage. It is our job to empower communities to make these discoveries and be able to tell the story of their historic environment.
“We are proud to have grant-funded this work, which supports both Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy of making archaeology matter, and Scotland’s national strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.”
Nick Hewitt, Culture Team Manager for Orkney Islands Council, said:
“It has been a wonderful team effort so far between many and one we’re proud to have been a part of, and will continue to be as we support the Sanday community explore the future possibilities for their wreck.”
Clive Struver, Chair of the Sanday Development Trust added:
The work to uncover the identity of the wreck has been hugely exciting.
“Now that we have this knowledge about the wreck and how it came to rest in Sanday, the next step is very much to explore what the community here would like to see happen in terms of where and how the story of the wreck and our island’s past as the ‘cradle of shipwrecks in Scotland’ can be captured for generations to come - including importantly how that could be achieved in the context of a small island and in a way that honours and reflects the unique character of Sanday.”
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.
About Wessex Archaeology
Bringing together leading minds and practitioners in the sector, Wessex Archaeology is a trusted archaeology and heritage service provider and educational charity. From our network of international offices, we work in partnership with our clients to deliver sustainable solutions to manage the historic environment - above ground, below ground and underwater. We are committed to our social impact. This means using the knowledge and connections we make through our commercial activities as a catalyst to engage the communities in which we work. Follow us on social media @wessexarch
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
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For further information, please contact:
Robin Kepple
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07881 512 379
communications@hes.scot
Emma Bakel
Project Communications Specialist at Wessex Archaeology
07563 569 882
e.bakel@wessexarch.co.uk or press@wessexarch.co.uk