The remains of an unknown wreck were discovered on Church Rocks, off Teignmouth in 1975. The site was designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act on 3 August 1977. The wreck is a Protected Wreck managed by Historic England.

The wreck

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The site is the wreck of a late sixteenth century armed cargo vessel. It is believed to be that of a Venetian trading galley dating to after 1582 based on recovered artefacts.[1] The identity of the wreck is unknown.

Discovery and investigation

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The site was discovered in 1975 approximately 150 m off-shore. Although the site was designated in 1977, prohibiting removal of artifacts without authorization, 120 round shot, six guns, three anchors, pottery shards, a gold seal, nails, a steelyard weight, and copper alloy pots were recovered from the site between 1975 and 1983.[1] In 1996, the site was featured in an episode of UK archaeology programme Time Team.[2]

In 2009, Historic England provided funding for conservation work for a number of artefacts recovered from the wreck.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "CHURCH ROCKS - 1000064 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Time Team episode guides, series 3". Channel 4. Retrieved 25 September 2021.

50°32′57″N 3°29′14″W / 50.54914°N 3.48729°W / 50.54914; -3.48729