Archaeology is all around you in Orkney, but even here in the islands, you don’t expect to find a centuries-old shipwreck sitting in the sand during a winter beach walk.
That’s exactly what happened in Sanday earlier this year when a substantial section of well-preserved timber was uncovered after stormy weather.
The wreck was immediately identified as a find of some significance, with the timbers held together by large wooden pegs – a style that it’s thought was used in shipbuilding for hundreds of years. Initial investigations suggest it could be of internationally significant 17th century design, and possibly of Dutch origin.
In the wake of the discovery - and in a true race against time - Orkney Islands Council sought help from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), on behalf of the Sanday community, for a huge freshwater tank to save the timbers from imminent deterioration.
NHMF - a funder of last resort for heritage at risk – responded quickly with an award of £79,658 towards urgent efforts to preserve the wreck.
Now the timbers – once preserved by the sands they lay hidden in for centuries – are safely installed in a custom eight-metre-long tank, alongside the island’s Heritage Centre.
There, on advice from archaeologists and conservators, the timbers will remain suspended in fresh water – protecting them from deterioration for two to three years while further research is carried out into the ship’s identity and significance.
The custom-designed tank, fabricated by Aberdeen-based Waterfront Stainless Steel at their Orkney workshop, features a roll-top lid to enable access for researchers and interested visitors by appointment.
When the wreck first appeared, local residents were quick to report it and take images to allow for future 3D modelling to take place. As archaeologists began to arrive to offer advice, Sanday farmers helped remove the timbers as they began to break up in the tide.
Since then, volunteers have kept the remains soaked in freshwater to preserve them until funding for the tank was guaranteed and the construction completed.
It’s hoped the wreck's new home will provide the time experts need to find out more about this special find.