This rudder, with a moustachioed face carved into it, is part of the Swash Channel Wreck. The wreck was discovered outside Poole Harbour and is believed to be a Dutch merchant ship named The Fame which sank in 1631.
The wreck site on the Swash Channel was discovered in the 1990s. It was an almost complete side of the ship, with items spread over an area of 40 by 50 metres. The site was under serious threat of erosion – so began the largest underwater excavation since that of the Mary Rose.
In 2013, after almost 10 years of underwater investigations, the rudder and other parts of the wreck were lifted onto Poole Quay by Bournemouth University marine archaeologists.
Analysis showed that the ship’s timber was cut down in the Netherlands or Germany in about 1628. Research into wrecks during this period revealed that the ship is most likely to be the Fame from Hoorn, near Amsterdam, which sank in 1631.
The Fame had been anchored in Studland Bay during a storm and was dragged onto Hook Sands, where it capsized. Records state that the crew of 45 abandoned ship and all got safely to land.
The rudder is 8.4m (28ft) long. The upper section is decorated with the superbly carved head of a man. Such carvings were a long standing tradition on Dutch ships. It is thought to be a Roman soldier or even a Dutch soldier of the time.
Either way, with his moustache, goatee beard, long curling hair and plumed helmet he can be seen as an heroic figure, suitable for his prominent location on the ship.
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.
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.
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.
The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!
