Timbers from 17th-century shipwreck wash up on beach after Storm Chandra

Timbers believed to be from a historic 17th-century shipwreck have washed up on a UK beach after Storm Chandra.

The ship parts, discovered on Studland Beach last month, are thought to be from a section of the Swash Channel wreck, which was first discovered in the 1990s in a key shipping approach to Poole Harbour.

Historical records suggest the wreck was of Dutch or German origin – likely ‘The Fame’ from Hoorn, a Dutch merchant ship that ran aground and sank in 1631. Marine archaeologists say that the freshly revealed pieces could make up a section of the hull previously missing from the vessel.

“It’s really exciting to find this piece of historical ship,” said Tom Cousins, who led the team of maritime archaeologists from Bournemouth University (BU) that identified the timbers. “During our excavation of the Swash Channel wreck in 2013, there were pieces of the ship missing and we do believe a section of the hull has now been revealed at Studland.”

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At least 15 frames of wood, connected with wooden treenails to five outer hull planks, were revealed by the winter storms on 28 January, measuring approximately six metres long and two metres wide.

The frames are eroded, but the hull planks are in excellent condition, according to the archaeologists, while an additional layer of planking that would have originally been inside the vessel appears to have been lost.

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Archaeologists have theorised that the remains have been buried in sand since the 1630s and intermittently exposed over the years, explaining why the inner planks are missing and frames eroded, while the outer hull planks survive in such good condition.

‘The Fame’ was estimated to be forty metres long, 10 metres wide and 15 metres high, capable of carrying more than 40 guns to defend itself against pirates during voyages to the Caribbean to bring back salt.

The ship was reported to have dragged its anchor, grounding on a nearby, notorious sandbank where it broke its back. Records state that all 45 crew members abandoned the ship safely, but local residents quickly set to work looting the wreck.

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Tracey Churcher, general manager for the National Trust in Purbeck, which owns the beach, said: “I’m always astounded by the history we find at Studland, but this has been a real treasure. The wooden tree nails are still in place and holding after four hundred years – what a testament to the craftmanship at the time.”

Hefin Meara, a maritime archaeologist from Historic England, said: “The Swash Channel wreck is one of only 57 shipwrecks around the coast of England designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. Firmly dated remains of vessels predating 1700 are exceptionally rare. We can't say for certain that these fragments come from that wreck site, but it's an intriguing possibility.”

‘The Fame’ is believed to have been of high status due to rare decorative wooden carvings found during excavations, including an intricately carved head of a man, thought to potentially be a Roman or Dutch soldier of the time.

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The origin of the timbers is set to be confirmed from dendrochronology testing, which will identify when and where the timbers used to build the ship were grown and whether they match those previously analysed from the Swash Channel wreck.

Protected wrecks have legal protection because of their archaeological and historical significance, meaning that any disturbance or interference is only permitted under an official licence. If excavated, the timbers will join the collection currently displayed at Poole Museum. Visitors have been asked to help protect the site by not touching or damaging the exposed timbers.