An interim report on the Princes Channel Wreck, also known as the Gresham Ship, has been published in Post-Medieval Archaeology.
The Princes Channel Wreck is a medium-sized armed merchant ship found in the Thames in 2003. We carried out a series of investigations that resulted in the recovery of the surviving hull structure and a range of artefacts in 2004.
A pdf of the published article is available for download.
You can also download our Phase III report, which was prepared following recovery of the hull structure.
The main Wessex Archaeology website has more details of our investigation of the Princes Channel Wreck.
Documentary research and geophysical data have identified this wreck as the Belgian steamer Concha, built in 1877. The vessel sank after colliding with the steamer Saint Filians. The Concha’s valuable cargo of tin and copper ore was salvaged shortly after its sinking, but the iron ore cargo still remains in and around the wreck site.
The site is situated 7.5nm SSE of Littlehampton, West Sussex between the Outer Owers and Kingmere Rocks. It lies in 10.7m (CD) of water on a sandy/gravelly seabed. The dimensions of the wreck are 66m in length and 7-10m in width.
In 2002 the site was geophysically surveyed by Wessex Archaeology, using sidescan sonar and magnetometer. The sidescan image shows the vessel upright on the seabed and largely unburied, and the magnetometer results indicate a large metal anomaly associated with the wreck; presumably a combination of the iron ore cargo and metal hull. Technical problems meant that no diving survey of the wreck was completed that year.
In 2003, the area was re-surveyed using multibeam, sub-bottom profiler and magnetometer, confirming the results collected from 2002.
Most recently, in the summer of 2005, WA used a ROV (remotely operated vehicle) to survey the site, and obtain a video archive of the wreck site. Examples of the video footage together with underwater photos, a site plan and more information about the Concha (including its construction, fittings, machinery, cargo and artefacts) can all be viewed here.
A list of the Concha’s vessel specifications from Lloyds Register can be viewed here.
This wreck is the remains of the Umba, an early 20th century merchant vessel that was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1918. The wreck is also commonly known as the “Gun Wreck” after a Russian 6 pounder gun was found mounted on the poop.
The site is located 5.5nm south of Hastings, just to the east of Hastings Shingle Bank. It is lying at a general depth of 22m (CD).
In 2002 the wreck was surveyed using sidescan sonar and magnetometer. The geophysics results confirmed that the vessel was built of either steel or iron, and although largely buried, its dimensions are 96m x 13m. Sidescan images show the wreck is lying on an even keel and standing about 4.5 metres high. The site was not dived during this year’s fieldwork due to hazardous dive conditions.
In the summer of 2005, the site was surveyed using a ROV (remotely operated vehicle). Most of the original wooden decking still remains on the poop, showing how well preserved the wreck is. Examples of the ROV video footage together with underwater photos, a site plan and more information about the Umba (including its construction, vessel type, fittings and machinery) can all be viewed here.