A Race Against the Thames: Saving the London Shipwreck

Professor Lucy Blue delves into the wreck of The London, a 17th century warship, with diver and licensee Steve Ellis.  The ship exploded and sank in the Thames Estuary in 1665 and was rediscovered in 2005 when a ports authority survey was being conducted.  Since 2010, Steve has been directing the survey of the vessel and recovering artefacts with permission from Historic England.  A Second Rate vessel in the English Navy, The London was carrying 76 guns and a mix of over 300 crew and family readying to join a fleet preparing to fight in the Second Anglo-Dutch War, when tragedy struck. This significant archaeological site offers insights into 17th-century naval warfare, however despite it being a protected wreck of great historic value, there has been little funding or support from government sources. Over 1200 finds have been recovered and Steve will reveal his most recent discovery that is truly remarkable.

A special thanks to Mark Beattie-Edwards and the Save the London campaign for their wonderful support in helping to continue to dive this site. 

Find out more about the London Shipwreck Project here: https://www.facebook.com/TheLondonShipwreckproject

To donate, please visit the project website: https://thelondonshipwreckproject.com/save-the-london/