More information : Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:
1960s: Site dated to circa 1700, and only cannon and a few cannon balls in situ. [Photograph of cannon covered in kelp]. Archaeological work was apparently carried out at the site in the 1960s and included the recovery of sword hilts and a small bronze cannon but nothing remains of the vessel they came from. (6)
1970: 'In June and July 1970, the Tyneside 114 BSAC carried out a reasonably comprehensive survey of the Gun Rocks site. The typical dive team consisted of around twelve divers each weekend over the summer of 1970. To complete a proper measured survey of the site, three pitons were embedded in the rock along the south face. Each cannon was marked with a numbered, floating buoy. In that way, 20 cannons were located although only 15 were marked on the site plan (Smith 1970). Each cannon was then triangulated to the baseline along the rock face. Numerous small artefacts were raised, recorded and drawn to scale before being reported to the Receiver of Wreck and some handed over. The local TV station Tyne Tees filmed the daily activities of the divers including the raising of a single cannon. Unfortunately this footage has since been lost and so has the cannon which was reportedly given to a museum in Newcastle.' (10)
26-OCT-1976: Wreck lying in 25ft of water on east side of Gun Rocks. Site of 16th century wreck (according to local knowledge). Three cannon and a large number of cannon balls were located in the vicinity. A strong tidal stream flows across the site.
(Brian Ranner SCAF RAF West Drayton - letter giving details, forwarded by RAF Leconfield from their expedition to the Farne Islands) (1)(7)
1996: It has been reported that two cannon have been removed from the site by divers. The cannon have been confiscated by the police and the matter decided by the Receiver of Wreck. (2)
1996: A sixteenth century warship was discovered off Dunstanburgh [sic - error for Bamburgh] in 25ft of water in 1976, position 55 37.53N 001 37.39W. Three cannon and many cannon balls were recovered by divers. (3)
2010: 'To commemorate 40 years since the first survey of Gun Rocks, Tyneside 114 completed a brief investigation of the area in June 2010. The primary aim was to survey the cannons and compare their numbers and condition to those of the 1970 survey. Although a measured survey was never achieved, great quantities of kelp were cleared and a visual search and rough sketch for the whole area was created locating all 13 cannons. The divers also found a previously unknown cannon to the north of Gun Rocks (Hunt 2010).' (10)
2013: Between 26th August - 6th September, Historic England commissioned Wessex Archaeology to undertake an Undesignated Site Assessment of the Gun Rocks wreck site in the Farne Islands, together with the local British Sub-Aqua Club, Tyneside 114. A geophysical survey of the area around Gun Rocks identified numerous anomalies which were prioritised into those most likely to be archaeological remains. Unfortunately, the Gun Rocks themselves have a very high magnetic output which did negatively affect the magnetometer results. All archaeological remains were photographed, measured and photomosaic and photogrammetry was used to record various features of the Gun Rocks site. (10)
Gun Rocks wreck, position 55 37.51N 001 37.39W in 15 metres. Items have been recovered but there is no sign of the vessel. (5)
Cannon measurements were sent off to experts Charles Trollope and Nico Brink who suggested that due to the varied sizes of cannons the vessel may have been carrying a cargo of damaged cannon and shot from Sweden to the Netherlands before being blown off course. m the Tyneside divers of the 1970s had removed some of the concretions on the cannons to locate markings. These revealed marking on the trunnions. Wessex Archaeology were able to draw on this historical wreck investigation record to confirm that the cannons were Swedish and from the early 18th century. 'Further investigations revealed that the cannons were associated with the production centre at Finspong, Ostergotland in Sweden (Kennard 1986). Cannon founding was a major industry in Sweden and was first established by the Dutch de Greer family and went on to supply most of the Dutch requirements for iron guns from the 1620s onwards (Martin 2005).' One of these Swedish cannons, raised from the wreck in the mid-18th century, was donated to and still displayed in nearby Bamburgh Castle. (10)
'While the origin and destination of the armaments are known, it is hard to predict how many cannons were originally on the vessel. From local stories in the 18th century and reported anecdotes in the 20th and 21st centuries it can be concluded that there used to be more than the current 20 cannons in the Gun Rocks area (19 underwater and one at Bamburgh Castle). A document written within two or three generations of the wrecking event reported that it was thought to be a 40 gun merchant vessel that sank in the 18th century (Pennant 1769). In 2013, a member of the initial Tyneside survey crew recalled that there were 40 or 42 cannon on site in 1970 (pers. comm. Selby Brown 05.09.13) however only 25 cannons are mentioned in the original report and only 15 actually appear on the site plan (Smith 1970). A popular dive guide also reports that there used to be 25 cannons onsite (Young 2000).' (10)
Charted as notable debris in 6m, position unreliable. (7)
A mottled black bottle of 'onion' type, approximately 300 years old, heavily covered in marine growth including barnacles, the top of the neck missing, recovered from Gun Rock, near Farne Island. The recovery site is also the site of several cannon and cannon balls and believed to be the site of a very old wreck. Bottle was lying on the rock face and is probably from the late 1600s (which ties in with the cannons). Position approximately 55 37N 001 38W. (Droit 179/08) (8)
Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:
'The name of "Gun Rocks" came from the pile of cannon . . . discovered on the south side of the islets in the 1700s. One of the cannons . . . was used in Bamburgh Castle to alert the villagers when a ship was wrecked. The Gun Rocks wreck was first thought to have been an Armada ship [wrecked] when the Spanish fleet was driven up the North Sea coast, but she was later found to be an armed Dutch merchant vessel, wrecked between 1650 and 1715 after her cannons, etc. were dated." [The cannon was in the castle by 1757.] (4)
'The Gun Rocks wreck has been known as the site of a shipwreck almost since the shipwreck event itself in the early 18th century. The first charting of the wreck site was in 1778 on a map created of the local area as part of the developing shipwreck rescue service (Sutherland 1778). Even then, it seemed common knowledge that a ship with many cannons had fallen foul of the rocks. Local knowledge has perpetuated the memory of the wreck though not always with accurate details. Almost immediately after the wrecking event, it was reported that a Dutch merchant vessel had run onto the rocks with loss of all life. Thomas Pennant reported this in 1769 in his travel book (Pennant 1769) as did John Sharp in around 1778-91 in his notes as trustee for Bamburgh Castle (Sharp 1778-91). But for some reason, by the late 19th century, the identity of the wreck was being erroneously associated with the Spanish Armada (Bates 1894).' (9)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Approximate date of loss
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