The London wreck in the Digging for Britain TV series
- DATE WRITTEN:
- READING TIME: 2 minutes
Over the last two years the Digging for Britain TV series has followed the work of Cotswold Archaeology, dedicated local divers Steve and Carol Ellis, and Steve Meddle, and specialist marine archaeologists including shipwreck expert Dan Pascoe and Mark James of MSDS Marine. They filmed as we raced to rescue the remains of an important 17th-century warship, the London, from the destructive and erosive forces of the Thames, on behalf of Historic England. The London had an illustrious life. The ship:
- played a part in the Restoration of the monarchy;
- was a flagship of the English navy; but,
- exploded in the Thames estuary on its way to battle.
The gun carriage as it emerged from the Thames
This event was recorded at the time by Samuel Pepys in his diary in March of 1665. Our work has led to the rescue of superb remains from the wreck, including a near-intact gun carriage, on which would have sat one of the London’s many large bronze guns. Many other implements of war have been recovered, alongside personal items and human bones, all of which provide glimpses into a turbulent period of England’s history. With the help of our team, Digging for Britain tell the story this fascinating shipwreck.
Tune in to the Digging for Britain series on the 10th, 17th and 24th March, on BBC4 at 9pm to hear more about our exciting work.
Close up of callipers from the wreck
