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A Cromwellian Warship wrecked off Duart Castle, Mull, Scotland, in 1653
Keywords:
marine archaeology, military history, shipwreck, 17th-century armament, manufacturing processes, ship provisioning, metallurgy
Location(s):
Duart Point, Duart Castle, Mull, Scotland
Period(s):
Early modern period
Synopsis
This book records the excavation of the wreck of a small Cromwellian warship, believed to be Swan, which was found off Duart Point in 1979. When erosion threatened the site in 1992, maritime archaeologists from St Andrews University were asked to investigate the wreck in advance of consolidation and long-term protective management. A ten-year programme of survey, limited excavation and research followed, during which much of the lower hull and parts of the collapsed upper stern were uncovered and recorded. From this, the dimensions, constructional techniques and general layout of the ship were determined, and realities of the ship's operational functions and her crew's life on board were revealed.
Eleven chapters, including contributions from many of the experts who were involved in the project, chart the project’s development, the identification of the wreck and its archaeology, as well as explaining the historical background to the shipwreck. Key finds from the site are carefully analysed, including carvings from the decorated stern, interior panelling, navigational, medical and food-processing equipment, and elements of the rigging and pump systems. There is also a detailed study of the remains of one of the ship's sailors, who the evidence suggests was born in Yorkshire. Other finds reveal important information about seventeenth-century armament, manufacturing processes, ship provisioning and metallurgy. This monograph demonstrates how established archaeological principles can be applied without compromise under water, and illustrates the breadth of information which can be derived from such an approach.
Chapters
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Front matter
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Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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Chapter 4
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Chapter 5
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Chapter 6
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Chapter 7
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Chapter 8
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Chapter 9
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Chapter 10
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Chapter 11
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Appendix
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Glossary
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Bibliography
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Index
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Excavation map
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Published
August 15, 2025
Categories
Copyright (c) 2025 Colin J M Martin (Author); James H Barrett, David Bate, Sue Black, Darren Cox, George Dalgleish, Peter Spencer Davies, Peter Ditchfield, Glenn Foard, Headland Archaeology Ltd, David Lamb, Ian MacLeod, John McManus, Wolfram Meier-Augenstein, Rachel L Parks, Andrew Ramsay, Janet Shelley, Theo Skinner, Catherine Smith, Lore Troalen (Contributor)
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
