Recovery and preservation
Only certain parts of the wreck were recovered, including the rudder, guns, bow and carvings, as well as a range of domestic objects and ship’s fittings. The remaining timbers were then buried to preserve the site.
The rudder was carefully dried and preserved by York Archaeological Trust. This work involved replacing the seawater with polyethylene glycol (PEG), a type of wax, then a three-year drying process.
Why so heavily armed?
The ship was heavily armed for a merchant vessel, with at least 26 carriage-mounted guns, suggesting it could also have served as a warship. Only six guns were found, so it might have been partly salvaged after it sank.
The rare decorative wooden carvings on the wreck indicate that the ship must have been of high status.