Article submitted for publication in Sussex Past and Present magazine, April 2017 Help Needed! Newly Exposed Wooden Wreck on Camber Sands On 29th September 2016, Historic England (HE) was alerted to the presence of a newly-exposed substantial wooden wreck on Camber Sands. A local resident has previously only ever seen a 'stump' visible but now ribs and 'other stumps' were reported showing. Initial liaison with the Archaeology Section of East Sussex County Council noted that the new wreck may be the same as one already recorded in the Historic Environment Record under number MES7343 which is for a 'timber wreck' briefly seen in the 1960s and 1980s (though the location of the wreck recorded in the HER requires confirmation). A search of aerial-photographic collections held in Historic England's archive in Swindon identified only a single high-altitude vertical image of the relevant stretch of coast which may show the exposed wreck. This image dates to 1977 and is copyright of the National Rivers Authority, now the Environment Agency. One final piece of evidence comes from the former Archaeological Diving Unit (ADU) who assessed a wooden wreck 'off' Camber Sands in August 1991. This wreck had been re-discovered by divers after it had been uncovered in February in that year during a low spring tide. The ADU dived on the site and concluded that the remains were a rare example of a small mid-19th century merchant vessel, possibly a snow or a brig (ADU report ref 91/14 / NRHE 813023). However, the given location of this wreck, fixed by horizontal sextant angles, lies 616m south-east of the remains recently identified so it is not yet clear whether the two wrecks are the same. It would seem that the ‘new’ wreck was indeed new – no previous record of it appears to exist. As such, the site was visited by HE staff on 21st October 2016 (which is surely auspicious, being Trafalgar Day!) where its position was recorded by a hand-held Garmin etrex GPS receiver at TQ 97056 18289 (± 4m). The wreck was identified as being the remains of a substantial oak-built sailing vessel measuring 47.2m long x 9.5m wide. It is aligned approximately east/west with the bow facing west. While inconclusive, initial investigation of the timbers shows that the scantlings (the width and thickness of timbers) are suggestive of a heavily-built ship and reinforced diagonal outer-planking indicates possible Baltic use perhaps dating to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. To further aid identification, dendrochronological sampling & assessment is to be undertaken in liaison with Natural England as the wreck lies within the Dungeness, Romney Marsh & Rye Bay SSSI. This coastal landscape is designated on account of the biological and geological features present. Investigations by Historic England will continue and the case has been added to a current project which aims to carry out a national overview of Early Ships and Boats: prehistory to 1840 as part of the Listing Group’s strategic programme. Given that very little is known about the wreck, I welcome observations (as well as any photographs or other records) from members of Sussex Archaeology Society to try and find out how such a large ship came to be stranded on Camber Sands. Mark Dunkley FSA MCIfA Historic England mark.dunkley@HistoricEngland.org.uk Suggested image caption: Newly-exposed wooden wreck, Camber Sands. Historic England is seeking help in identifying it.