Orkney shipwreck identified as Royal Navy vessel

Archaeologists have uncovered the identity of an 18th-century vessel shipwrecked in Orkney waters. The ship discovered on the island of Sanday last year has been identified as the Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy vessel originally called HMS Hind.

Historic Environment Scotland (HSE), which funded the research, said the sixth-rate 24-gun frigate saw many years of active service. The vessel participated in the sieges of Louisbourg and Quebec in the 1750s and fought in the American Revolutionary War in the late 1770s.

From warship to whaler

Once decommissioned from naval service, the ship was sold and renamed the Earl of Chatham, becoming a 500-tonne whaling vessel. HSE said this transformation was common for Royal Navy ships because their superior build quality allowed them to withstand the icy conditions of British whaling routes.

As the Earl of Chatham, the vessel completed four seasons in the Arctic before meeting its end in the Bay of Lopness in March 1788. The ship carried 56 sailors on board at the time, all of whom survived the wreck.

Climate reveals hidden wreck

Wessex Archaeology, working with Dendrochronicle and volunteer community researchers, began investigating the ship's origins following its discovery in February 2024. Analysis of the wood determined the ship was built with timber from south and south-west England.

The Sanday Wreck was revealed last year thanks 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.

Community effort unlocks mystery

Archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology, local community researchers, and the Sanday Heritage Centre spent several months working with archives and community records to identify the vessel. This research was supported by Sanday Heritage Group and Orkney Archaeology Society.

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 the identification was possible thanks to dedicated community researchers and the evidence they gathered.

Island's shipwreck legacy

"Throughout this project, we have learned so much about the wreck, but also about the community in Sanday in the 1780s," Saunders said. "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."

Alison Turnbull, director of external relations and partnerships at HSE, said the discovery 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," she said.

Future possibilities explored

Nick Hewitt, culture team manager for Orkney Islands Council, added: "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."

The timbers are currently housed in a freshwater tank at the Sanday Heritage Centre to conserve them. Visitors can find out more about the wreck's story and Sanday's maritime history at the centre.

(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.