Three rare 17th-century lead ingots have been recovered from the wreck of a historic ship discovered during seabed investigations for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, offering a remarkable glimpse into Britain’s early modern maritime trade.
The ingots, each weighing approximately 70kg, were found resting in their original stacked formation on the seabed around 120km off the Norfolk coast at a depth of 40 metres. While little of the wooden vessel survived, maritime archaeologists identified remnants of timber beneath the cargo, confirming the presence of a previously unknown shipwreck.
The discovery was made during routine seabed surveys conducted to identify potential unexploded ordnance ahead of construction work for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm. The investigation was carried out by marine archaeology specialists MSDS Marine alongside remotely operated vehicle (ROV) teams.
Each ingot bears a distinctive maker’s mark – “IS”, “EB” and “H” – similar to markings found on lead cargo recovered from the wreck of the Dutch East India Company vessel Kennemerland, which sank off the Shetland Islands in 1664. Archaeologists believe the Hornsea 3 wreck may also have been a Dutch merchant vessel.
Researchers suspect the lead originated from the Peak District and Derbyshire, one of England’s most important lead-mining regions during the 17th century. At the time, large quantities of English lead were exported across the North Sea from ports including Hull and London to major trading centres such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The location of the wreck lies directly along the historic shipping route between Hull and the Netherlands.
Before the health risks associated with lead were understood, the metal was widely used in plumbing, construction, ammunition and other manufactured goods. Casting the metal into ingots made it easier to transport as commercial cargo.
Following conservation work, the artefacts have been transferred to the Peak District Lead Mining Museum in Matlock, Derbyshire, where they will be displayed for the public while further research investigates their exact origin.
Alison James, Director of Heritage Services at MSDS Marine, described the discovery as “a direct link to the past”, adding that she hopes future analysis will confirm whether the lead was mined in Derbyshire before beginning its final sea voyage.
Hornsea 3, developed by Danish renewable energy company Ørsted, is expected to become the world’s largest single offshore wind farm once completed. The £8.5 billion project will generate enough renewable electricity to power around 3.3 million UK homes.
Ørsted worked closely with MSDS Marine, Historic England and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to ensure the artefacts were carefully documented, conserved and preserved before being transferred to their permanent home.
The shipwreck represents one of the most significant archaeological discoveries made during the Hornsea 3 site investigations, which were completed last year. The find has only now been announced following the successful conservation and relocation of the historic cargo.
Located in the southern North Sea, the Hornsea 3 development area contains relatively few known pre-18th-century timber shipwrecks, making the discovery particularly valuable for understanding Britain’s maritime trading history.
Header Image Credit : MSDS Marine
Sources : Divernet
