Shipwreck off Eastbourne identified as 17th Century Dutch warship KLEIN HOLLANDIA

[Herman]

Shipwreck off Eastbourne identified as 17th Century Dutch warship​

Published on BBC : https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-64402152

IMAGE SOURCE,CATHY DE LARA
Two guns found at the site of the sunken Klein Hollandia off Eastbourne

A shipwreck lying off the East Sussex coast has been identified as a Dutch warship which sank in 1672.
The wreck, which lies 32m (105ft) under water, had been known as the "unknown wreck off Eastbourne" after it was discovered by divers in 2019.
It has now been identified as the Dutch warship Klein Hollandia, which was built in 1656.
Much of the wooden hull was found, together with cannons, Italian marble tiles and pieces of Italian pottery.

The wreck was discovered by Eastbourne dive operator David Ronnan and then reported to Historic England.
The Klein Hollandia was considered so important that it was granted the highest level of protection under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, meaning only licensed divers were allowed to dive to the wreck site.

IMAGE SOURCE,NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY
Detail of a marble tile found at the wreck site

The marble tiles found on the site came from the Apuan Alps quarries near Carrara in Italy and were preserved by Historic England archaeological conservators.
The tiles were bound for the Netherlands and would have been used to build high-status homes, Historic England said.
Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: "The identification of the Klein Hollandia offers a glimpse back into the 17th Century, giving us a chance to learn more about the maritime history of this period and to uncover treasures which have been underwater for hundreds of years."

IMAGE SOURCE,JAMES CLARK
A Nautical Archaeology Society diver handles a Bellarmine jug found at the wreck site

The Klein Hollandia, which was owned by the Admiralty of Rotterdam, was involved in all major battles in the second Anglo-Dutch war (1665-1667), a Historic England spokesman said.
In 1672, the ship was part of the squadron escorting the Smyrna fleet while sailing from the Mediterranean into the English Channel, en-route to the Netherlands.
Passing the Isle of Wight, the squadron was attacked by an English squadron under Admiral Holmes, resulting in the Klein Hollandia being damaged and its commander killed.

The Klein Hollandia sank shortly afterwards, with both English and Dutch sailors on board.
The story of the Klein Hollandia features on Digging for Britain on BBC2 on Sunday 29 January at 20.00 GMT, and thereafter on the BBC iPlayer.

 

[Heinrich]

Great find Herman!

 

[Uwek]

Mnay thanks for sharing this information with us

 

[Ancientmodeller]

Really interesting thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Herman]

Some further info:

Scientists and Archaeologists Confirm Identity of 17th-century Dutch Warship off the Coast of England Carrying Slabs of Fine Italian Marble​

Published 27 January 2023 -- https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/identity-17th-century-dutch-warship-confirmed


An unknown Protected Wreck off the coast of Sussex has been identified as the 17th-century Dutch warship Klein Hollandia. Built in 1656 and owned by the Admiralty of Rotterdam, the ship was involved in all major battles in the second Anglo-Dutch war (1665-1667).
Over the past year, specialists from Historic England, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) and the Nautical Archaeology Society have been working on its identification through evidence gathered during dives of the wreck by a team of professional and volunteer divers, as well as through archival research and dendrochronological (tree ring) analysis of the wood samples. Until now, the wreck, which lies 32 metres underwater on the seabed, was known as the ‘Unknown Wreck off Eastbourne’ – but it has now been identified as the Klein Hollandia (built 1656 – sank 1672).

Discovered in 2019, the Klein Hollandia was considered so important that it was granted the highest level of protection in the same year, under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. This year (2023) marks 50 years of the Act.
Only licensed divers are allowed to dive to the wreck site. The wreck was discovered by Eastbourne dive operator David Ronnan and reported to Historic England. David Ronnan and Mark Beattie-Edwards from the Nautical Archaeology Society are the licensees and have been investigating the wreck since its discovery.
The condition of the wreck is remarkable and could offer a wealth of information about how 17th-century Dutch ships were built and the activities of the warship during its final voyage. Material found on the seabed includes much of the wooden hull, cannons, Italian marble tiles and pieces of Italian pottery. The marble tiles came from the Apuan Alps quarries close to Carrara in Italy. They were conserved by Historic England archaeological conservators, prior to the investigations. The marble tiles were bound for the Netherlands and would have been used to build high-status homes.

The identification of the 'Klein Hollandia' offers a glimpse back into the seventeenth century, giving us a chance to learn more about the maritime history of this period and to uncover treasures which have been underwater for hundreds of years.

I am very pleased that thanks to this partnership between the UK and the Netherlands, we have been able to solve some of the mysteries linked to this wreck – and to protect it for future generations to continue to research.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Heritage Minister

Investigating this internationally-significant Protected Wreck site has been an excellent example of partnership working between Historic England, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands and the Nautical Archaeology Society. We’re delighted that Historic England’s material scientists have played a key part in solving the mystery of this shipwreck’s previously hidden identity. Uncovering the story of the warship 'Klein Hollandia' opens up another fascinating chapter in the already rich, shared maritime history between the UK and the Netherlands.

Duncan Wilson, Chief ExecutiveHistoric England

From our very first dive on the wreck, back in April 2019, we have been fascinated by the range of material on the seabed. The impressive amount of wooden hull structure, the ship's cannons, the beautifully cut marble tiles, as well as the pottery finds, all point towards this being a Dutch ship from the late 17th century coming back from Italy. Now, after four years of investigation and research, we can confidently identify the vessel.

Mark Beattie Edwards, CEONautical Archaeology Society

The Dutch warship​

The Klein Hollandia, owned by the Admiralty of Rotterdam, was involved in all major battles in the second Anglo-Dutch war (1665-1667).
In 1672, the ship was part of the squadron of Admiral de Haese to escort the Smyrna fleet while sailing from the Mediterranean into the English Channel, en-route to the Netherlands. At the Isle of Wight, the squadron was attacked by an English squadron under Admiral Holmes.
A fierce battle broke out on the second day, 23 March, resulting in the Klein Hollandia being damaged severely. The commander of the ship, Jan Van Nes was killed in action. The ship was boarded and conquered by the English, but shortly after the Klein Hollandia sank with both English and Dutch sailors on board. This surprise action by the small squadron under Sir Robert Holmes and Sir Frecheville Holles contributed to the start of the Third Anglo-Dutch War.

An image of a two-decker ship thought to be the Dutch vessel Klein Hollandia CREDIT: Victoria and Albert Museum:

 

[Vfordyce]

Nice going, Sir Robert! Started a war and didn't even get to keep the ship or its contents!

 

[Maxipoo]

What a beautiful find !

 

[Allegheny]

Well done, thanks for posting this.