crash of sunken warship of the Royal Navy in 1682, carrying future King James Stuart has been identified off Coast of Norfolk.
wreckage of HMS Gloucester was actually found in 2007 by two brothers, Julian and Lincoln Barnwell, along with their deceased father and two friends, after four-year search covering area of more over 5000 nautical miles.
The ship had run aground 28 miles off Great Yarmouth, but because of the time spent on confirm his identity and need to protect “at risk” the site on which lies in international waters, only now its discovery can be made public.
HMS Gloucester originally built in 1652 for English fleet and participated in battles during the Anglo-Spanish War of from 1654 to 1660 and second and the third Anglo-Dutch war.
In 1682, the ship was wrecked after a collision. with sandbar, with up up to 250 people dying how result. James Stewart was on the ship at the time, who survived wreckage and gone on become King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. He claimed with pilot about navigating dangerous area and put off leaving the ship until last a minute that cost lives uselessly of many whobecause of protocol could not leave the ship in front of the royal family.
He took no responsibility for sinking, instead blaming the pilot, James Ayres, and wanting him to be hanged immediately, although Ayres was in fact brought before a military tribunal and imprisoned.
Opening of wreckage, due to circumstances of its sinking could be “the most significant historical maritime discovery since the rise of Mary Rose in 1982”, according to Professor Claire Jowitt, who specializes in nautical history in university of East England.
When it was discovered, the ship was torn off the keel. with in remains of his hull was submerged under the seabed.
Many artifacts, including clothes and shoes, have been recovered from the wreck, including: in 2012, ship bell which turned out key Clue in confirming that the wreck belongs to HMS Gloucester.
Lincoln Barnwell said that the discovery of the wreckage was on their fourth dive season is looking for for HMS Gloucester, and what group began to think that they would not be able to find the ship.
But Barnwell said that on one Special dive to the seabed, he noticed “a big cannon standing on white sand” which was “awesome and truly beautiful”.
He said, “I instantly felt like a privilege to be there, it was so exciting.
“We were the only ones people in in world at that moment in time who knew where the piece lay. It was special and I will never forget it.”
The Mary Rose was a warship that served the English Tudor navy under King Henry VIII until it sank during battle in 1545. After his discovery, he was restored and now on display in Portsmouth.
Jowitt said that the discovery of the wreckage of HMS Gloucester “would have fundamentally changed the understanding of 17th-century socialmarine and political history”.
She is added: “This is an outstanding example of underwater cultural heritage of national as well as international importance.
“Tragedy of significant proportions in terms of the loss of life, both privileged and ordinary, full story of Gloucester last journey and aftermath of this is aftermath needs retelling, including its cultural and political significance and legacy.
“We will also try to install who the rest are dead and tell their stories as individuals of fraction of victims currently known.”
an exhibition is planned for Spring 2023 at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery display finds from the crash site and share permanent historical, scientific and archaeological research.
