Underwater Archaeology

Date 14 June 2010 - 2 July 2010

Event ID 634229

Category Recording

Type Underwater Archaeology

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/634229

NM 6583 4437 The Sound of Mull field school undertook a survey and excavation, on 14 June–2 July 2010, on the site of the John Preston, a 19th-century shipwreck. A total of 54 dives were undertaken by nine participants, from the UK, America, Russia and Australia, under the supervision of Mary Harvey and Steve Liscoe.

The survey undertaken during the 2010 field school built upon the survey work conducted in 2009 (DES 2009, 86). A total of 13 features were identified and recorded in 2010, including a pump box and pipes which may have been associated with the pump assembly, several iron knees, a presumed sternpost and several as yet unidentified features. The anchor which had been recorded during previous SOMAP surveys was also re-surveyed, as its condition was noted to have deteriorated following the original survey work.

Two 2 x 1m trenches (T1 and T2) were also excavated. The excavation and recording of the ship’s structure focused on the area in the 7m forward of the presumed sternpost. This work revealed a significant amount of surviving structure, indicating that other areas of the vessel still covered in slate scatter will reveal surviving structure.

Trench 1 was located c1m forward of the presumed sternpost, fewer structural elements remained in this area

and several disarticulated timbers were uncovered. The keel continued through the area of T1, and a run of outer planking was attached to the keel. No fastenings were recorded in the trench but evidence of treenails was recorded on the outer planking. A possible floor timber, with indications of iron fastenings and showing signs of heavy abrasion was also recorded. Immediately adjacent to T1, a run of planking and frames was visible for 2m on the starboard side of the vessel. The aft frames are paired, with the spacing increasing to 100mm along the run. Any further frames and planking which may have continued to the second area of excavation were obscured by slate scatter.

Trench 2 was located 5.8m forward of the presumed sternpost and revealed large amounts of articulated timbers with frames, extant on both the port and starboard side of the vessel. A total of eight small finds were also uncovered. The six from T1 were recovered for detailed recording and photography before being reburied on the site. The final two finds were from outside the excavation area, one of these was left in situ, the other which had been disturbed by the excavations, was fully uncovered and recorded prior to reburial. The finds comprised four bottles of two different sizes, possibly beer bottles, a square Dutch gin bottle, a ceramic ink bottle, a piece of ceramic and a brass hinge.

Archive: Nautical Archaeology Society

Funder: Historic Scotland

Mary Harvey – Nautical Archaeology Society