Rye A Shipwreck (c. 1500)
Austin Siess, 2017
Country: United Kingdom
Place: To the north of Cyprus Place, by the railroad, 30 yards east of the railroad crossing on Ferry Road, and 150 years east of the Tillingham River, at Rye, East Sussex, England.
Approximate Coordinates: Lat. 50°57’4.73″N: Long. 0°43’42.37″E
Type: Unknown
Identified: No
Dated: Circa 1500 (estimated): The timbers lay “in blue creek mud,” resting on about 20 cm of sand, below which were around 90 cm of blue mud, “and then peat.” Based on the stratigraphy and the history of the site the Rye A Vessel was tentatively dated to around 1500.
History of the shipwreck
The Rye Vessel A was found in 1963 by construction workers on the bottom of a pit, about 4 m deep, together with the remains of a clinker built ship (Rye B). The remains of the ship are believed to be still in place. According to the workers, “the vessel lay roughly NE-SW and was nearly horizontal,” and consisted of a portion of a maststep and fragments of frames and planking. The ship’s scantlings suggest that the vessel was large, but there is no way to attain exact dimensions. Because of the extensive damage and premature removal of the timbers, reconstruction is impossible.
Description of the site
The site lies to the north of the village, on dry land, where once there was a marsh intersected by a herringbone of creeks. These two ships may have been scuttled there sometime between the mid-15th century and the late 16th century.
Cargo
No artifacts were associated with these hull remains.
Hull remains
The hull remains consisted of a small number of fragments of frame timbers, planking, possibly ceiling, and the remains of a keelson, encompassing a maststep.
Figure 1. Picture of the site (Lovegrove 1964).
Keelson
A 5.5 m long portion of a keelson that was salvaged, encompassing the remains of a maststep. The keelson 40 cm sided and 30 cm molded, and showed a complex section. Below 16.5 cm is was beveled to the base, being 15 cm sided on the face that set over the floor timbers. It had a 6 x 6 cm notch,5 cm deep, to receive a stanchion, next to the maststep.
Maststep
The assembly of the maststep was similar to that of the Cattewater shipwreck. It was an enlarged portion of the keelson, 52 cm sided and 46 cm molded. The mast mortise was rectangular, 25 x 56 cm, and 18 cm deep.
Frames
Some fragments of frame timbers were preserved, with sections of 28 x 23 cm and 18 x 18 cm. The remains of three frame timbers showed dovetail scarves joining the presumed floor timbers to the corresponding first futtocks. Another timber fragment is described as having a hook scarf and being still treenailed to its associated timber.
Planking
The planking was laid flush, in one single layer. Preserved plank fragments were around 35 cm wide and 7.5 cm thick.
Caulking
One plank had a preserved “layer of caulking” was found on one the planks, suggesting either a second layer of planking, of which no traces were found, of some other kind of protection coating. Remains of hair have been found as well.
Fasteners
All the structural pieces seemed to have been fastened with 2.5 cm treenails. There were square nail holes 6 mm on a side, with countersink holes to lodge the nail heads. It seems that in some cases treenails were not flush to the planking surface, and the holes were filled with a bitumen-type substance.
Size and Scantlings
There is very little that can be concluded about this site. Because most of the data is under great security, there is little access to the small amounts of information that can be gathered from this site. A further analysis is impossible without more information.
Table 1. Scantling of the timber remains of the Rye A Ship
| Timber | Sided
[cm] |
Molded
[cm] |
Comments |
| Keelson | 52 | 46 | All fragments added to 5.5 m |
| Maststep | 40 | 30 | Lower portion beveled to 15 cm sided |
| Frame Timbers | 28
18 |
23
18 |
Two main sizes |
| Planking | 35 | 7.5 | Badly preserved |
| Ceiling planking | 18 | 4 | Badly preserved |
Wood
The timbers analyzed were identified as oak.
Reconstruction
Beam: Unknown
Keel Length: Unknown
Length Overall: Unknown
Number of Masts: Unknown
References
Carperner, A, Ellis, K.H, & McKee, J.E.G. 1974, Interim report on the wreck discovered in the Cattewater, Maritime Monograhs and Reports 13, National Maritime Museum.
Lovegrove, Capt. H., 1964, Remains of two old vessels found at Rye, Sussex,’ Mariner’s Mirror 50.2: 115-122.
Mortlock, B. and Redknap, M., 1978. “The Cattewater wreck, Plymouth, Devon, Preliminary results of recent work,” International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 7:195-204.
Redknap, M., 1985. “The Caterwater wreck,” in C. Cederlund (ed.), Postmedieval Boat and Ship Archaeology, BAR Int.rnational Series 256, Oxford, 39-59.