Summary
Archaeologists discovered a 250-year-old shipwreck on Sanday, Orkney, identified as the Earl of Chatham, a ship formerly known as HMS Hind. The ship, once a Royal Navy vessel, was converted to a whaling ship and wrecked in 1788. Efforts to identify the ship involved community research and wood age analysis.
Key Facts
- A 250-year-old shipwreck was found on Sanday in Orkney and identified as the Earl of Chatham.
- The Earl of Chatham was originally a Royal Navy vessel called HMS Hind.
- HMS Hind was a 24-gun frigate involved in military actions such as the sieges of Louisbourg and Quebec in the 1750s.
- The ship was converted to a whaling vessel and completed four Arctic seasons before sinking in 1788.
- At the time of the wreck, it carried 56 sailors, all of whom survived.
- The ship remains were found after a storm released them from the seabed.
- Timber from the wreck is being stored in a freshwater tank to prevent decay.
- Identification involved analyzing tree rings in the wood and reviewing historical records.
