kids encyclopedia robot

List of designations under the Protection of Wrecks Act facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Shipwrecks are like underwater time capsules! They can tell us amazing stories about the past. To protect these important historical sites, there's a special law called the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. This law helps make sure that valuable shipwrecks and their contents are kept safe for everyone to learn from.

When a shipwreck is "designated" under this Act, it means it's officially recognized as important. This helps divers and sailors know where these special sites are, so they can avoid disturbing them. Different groups help manage these protected wrecks across the UK. In England, Historic England (which used to be called English Heritage) looks after them. They even have an online list called the National Heritage List for England where you can find details about each site. In Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland does this job, and in Wales, it's Cadw.

Protected Shipwrecks: Section 1

This section lists many shipwrecks that are protected because they are historically important. These wrecks offer clues about how people lived, traveled, and traded long ago. They are like museums under the sea!

Name Designated Location Year wrecked Authority National Heritage List for England / Cadw Number
First Current
Cattewater Wreck 1973 1973 Plymouth 1530 H.E. 1000065
Mary Rose 1974 1974 Portsmouth 1545 H.E. 1000075
Grace Dieu 1974 2016 River Hamble 1436 H.E. 1000061
VOC Amsterdam 1974 1974 Hastings 1749 H.E. 1000055
Royal Yacht Mary 1974 1974 The Skerries, Anglesey 1675 Cadw DW3
HMS Assurance/HMS Pomone 1974 1998 The Needles 1753,1811 H.E. 1000087
HMS Dartmouth 1974 1992 Sound of Mull 1690 H.E.S. n.a.
HMS Anne 1974 2009 Pett Level 1690 H.E. 1000060
Tearing Ledge Wreck 1975 1975 Scillies 1707? H.E. 1000063
Rill Cove Wreck 1976 1976 The Lizard 1616? H.E. 1000046
South Edinburgh Channel Wreck 1977 1977 Thames Estuary late 18th century H.E. 1000079
Church Rocks Wreck 1977 1977 Teignmouth 18th century H.E. 1000064
Pwll Fanog Wreck 1978 1979 Menai Strait Medieval Cadw DW2
Moor Sand Site 1978 1978 Salcombe Middle Bronze Age H.E. 1000050
Coronation (Offshore) 1978 1978 Penlee Point, Rame 1691 H.E. 1000069
Langdon Bay Wreck 1978 1978 Dover Middle Bronze Age H.E. 1000059
Kennemerland 1978 1978 Out Skerries 1664 H.S. n.a.
Tal-Y-Bont Wreck 1979 1989 Cardigan Bay 1677 Cadw DW1
HMS Stirling Castle 1980 2004 Goodwin Sands 1703 H.E. 1000056
HMS Invincible 1980 1980 East Solent 1758 H.E. 1000052
Bartholomew Ledges Wreck 1980 2006 Scillies 1597? H.E. 1000066
HMS Restoration 1981 2004 Goodwin Sands 1703 H.E. 1000057
HMS Northumberland 1981 2004 Goodwin Sands 1703 H.E. 1000058
St Anthony 1982 2006 Mount's Bay 1527 H.E. 1000067
HMS Schiedam 1982 1982 Gunwalloe Cove 1684 H.E. 1000049
Yarmouth Roads Wreck 1984 1985 Yarmouth, Isle of Wight 1567? H.E. 1000044
Studland Bay Wreck 1984 1998 Poole C 1520 H.E. 1000045
Admiral Gardner 1985 2004 Goodwin Sands 1809 H.E. 1000062
Hazardous 1986 2022 Bracklesham Bay 1706 H.E. 1000048
Coronation (Inshore) 1989 1989 Penlee Point, Rame 1691 H.E. 1000070
Iona II 1990 2006 Lundy 1864 H.E. 1000051
Gull Rock Wreck 1990 1990 Lundy 15th/16th century H.E. 1000053
Wrangles Palais 1990 1991 Out Skerries 1687 H.E.S. n.a.
Erme Estuary Wreck 1991 1991 Erme Estuary 16th to 18th century H.E. 1000071
Smalls Reef Wreck 1991 1995 Smalls Reef C 1100 Cadw DW4
Duart Point Wreck 1992 1992 Sound of Mull 1653 H.E.S. n.a.
Girona 1993 1993 Lacada Point 1588 N.I. E.H.S. n.a.
HMS Royal Anne Galley 1993 2006 The Lizard 1721 H.E. 1000068
Erme Ingot Site 1993 1993 Erme Estuary Unknown, Bronze Age or later H.E. 1000054
Dunwich Bank Wreck 1994 2004 Dunwich 16th century H.E. 1000073
Resurgam 1996 1996 Rhyl 1880 Cadw DW5
Hanover 1997 2022 Hanover Cove, Cornwall 1763 H.E. 1000072
Seaton Carew Wreck 1997 1997 Seaton Carew 19th century H.E. 1000077
Salcombe Cannon Wreck 1997 1997 Salcombe c 1640 H.E. 1000074
HM Submarine A1 1998 2004 Bracklesham Bay 1911 H.E. 1000043
Burntisland Wreck 1999 1999 Firth of Forth 1633 H.E.S. n.a.
Loe Bar Wreck 1999 1999 Mount's Bay 17th century H.E. 1000076
Mingary Castle Wreck 2000 2000 Sound of Mull 17th century H.E.S. n.a.
Kinlochbervie Wreck 2001 2001 Kinlochbervie Early 17th century H.E.S. n.a.
HMS Colossus (Stern Section) 2001 2017 Scillies 1798 H.E. 1000078
HMS Campania 2001 2001 Firth of Forth November 1918 H.E.S. n.a.
The Diamond? 2002 2002 Cardigan Bay 19th century Cadw DW6
USS Bonhomme Richard? 2002 2002 Filey Bay 1779 H.E. 1000080
Swash Channel Wreck 2004 2004 Poole Early 17th century H.E. 1000082
Holland V 2005 2005 Sussex Coast 1912 H.E. 1000081
West Bay Wreck 2005 2005 West Bay 17th/18th century H.E. 1000083
HMS Resolution? 2006 2006 Norman's Bay 1703 H.E. 1000084
Rooswijk 2007 2018 Goodwin Sands 1739 H.E. 1000085
Wheel Wreck 2007 2007 Scillies 19th century H.E. 1000086
HMS London 2007 2012 Thames Estuary 1665 H.E. 1000088
Goodwins & Downs 8 2012 2012 Goodwins and Downs 1650-1750 H.E. 1401982
Unknown Wreck off Thorness Bay 2013 2013 Isle of Wight 19th century H.E. 1402103
HMS Association 2014 2014 Isles of Scilly 1707 H.E. 1419276
HMS A3 2016 2016 Portland Bill 1912 H.E. 1422537
SM U-8 2016 2016 Folkestone 1915 H.E. 1430265
Holigost 2016 2016 River Hamble 1422 H.E. 1000061
HMT Arfon 2016 2016 St Alban's Head, Dorset 1917 H.E. 1432595
Chesil Beach cannon 2017 2017 Chesil Beach 17th/18th century H.E. 1433972
UC-70 2017 2017 Whitby 1918 H.E. 1446103
Eastbourne wreck site 2019 2019 Eastbourne 1672 H.E. 1464317
Shingles Bank wreck NW68 2022 2022 Isle of Wight 17th century H.E. 1469106
Shingles Bank wreck NW96 2022 2022 Isle of Wight 15th/16th century H.E. 1469107
Mortar wreck 2022 2022 Poole, Dorset 13th century H.E. 1474570

Wrecks No Longer Protected (Section 1)

Sometimes, a shipwreck might be removed from the protected list. This can happen if it's no longer considered historically important enough to be protected by the Act.

Name Designated Revoked Location Year wrecked Authority
Rhinns of Islay Wreck 1976 revoked 1984 Islay 18th/19th century H.E.S.
Brighton Marina Wreck 1983 revoked 2017 Brighton 16th century H.E.

Protected Shipwrecks: Section 2

Section 2 of the Protection of Wrecks Act is for wrecks that are considered dangerous. This means they might pose a risk to people or the environment. These sites are protected to keep everyone safe.

Name Designated Location Year wrecked Authority
First Current
SS Richard Montgomery 1973 1973 Thames Estuary 1944 MCA
SS Castilian 1997 1997 Anglesey 1943 MCA

Wrecks No Longer Protected (Section 2)

Just like with historical wrecks, dangerous wrecks can also be removed from the protected list if they are no longer a threat.

Name Designated Revoked Location Year wrecked Authority
MV Braer 1993 revoked 1994 Shetland Islands 1993 MCA
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of designations under the Protection of Wrecks Act Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.