School of Conservation Sciences

Bournemouth University is MAD About the Swash Channel Wreck

Come and visit the Maritime Archaeology Day

The mysteries of one of Britain’s most endangered shipwrecks will be revealed at a special open day hosted by Bournemouth University (BU).

The unique Maritime Archaeological Day (MAD) about the Swash Channel Wreck is scheduled for Saturday, 2nd May on BU’s Talbot Campus from 10am till 4pm. The day’s activities will provide the University’s experts and students in marine and maritime archaeology to share their findings from the 17th century ship discovered in the Swash Channel off the Dorset coast.

Artefacts raised from the Wreck will be on display including replicas to allow visitors a hands-on experience. Prospective students are particularly welcome to attend together with anyone interested in archaeology, diving and maritime history.

BU’s leading maritime archaeology experts, Paola Palma and Dave Parham, will speak on their experiences of working on the Wreck site. Current undergraduate and postgraduate students will also be on hand, joined by Catherine Gardiner of Poole Museum with a talk entitled “Every wreck tells a story: Poole Museum and the Swash Channel Wreck finds” and Alison Hamer from English Heritage who have both supported the site and share in the belief that it represents a significant and important discovery.

Although the Wreck’s country of origin is yet to be confirmed, it is believed to date from the 1620s based on the impressive array of artefacts recovered by BU staff and students. Finds from the site include iron cannons, wooden barrels, rigging elements, copper, pewter, bones, ceramic domestic material, leather shoes, musket balls and apothecary jars. One of the most impressive relics recovered is a rare and outstanding wooden carving of a merman which made news headlines in the Summer of 2008

Anyone wishing to attend or needing further information can contact Paola Palma via email at: ppalma@bournemouth.ac.uk

View the Maritime Archaeology Day leaflet (PDF 606.13kb).

27/03/09