Secrets of a city submerged 700 years ago are being revealed

Traces of the medieval town of Shipden, which sank to the bottom of the North Sea approximately 700 years ago, have been found in Great Britain. Divers discovered and photographed 25 man-made mysterious objects a few hundred meters off the coast of Cromer in Norfolk. Jam Press reported this.

As reported, the structures built from flint found at the bottom of the sea date back to the 14th century. Researchers believe they could be ancient dams, part of a pier, or other coastal structures.

The settlement of Shipden was gradually submerged by the waters of the North Sea throughout the 14th century. A severe storm in 1362 almost completely destroyed the town's coastline.

British divers captured the ruins of the sunken city in detail for the first time and created digital 3D models based on them. This allows specialists to better study the structures preserved underwater.

The discovery shed light on another famous legend. Among the residents of Cromer, stories had circulated for many years that St. Peter's Church was hidden beneath Church Rock.

However, it turned out that the object identified by divers may not be a church, but rather part of a medieval coastal fortification. This increased the likelihood that the famous legend is incorrect.

"All of us who grew up in Cromer grew up hearing the stories about Church Rock. Therefore, realizing that this legend might be wrong is a major step. We are currently studying medieval documents and comparing them with the objects found at the bottom of the sea. For now, we are putting forward hypotheses rather than final conclusions," said Peter Stibbons, chairman of the Friends of Cromer Museum society and project director.

There is another interesting event in the history of this area. In 1888, the tourist steamer Victoria hit an underwater rock and wrecked. Later, the remains of the ship were blown up along with part of the rock. The purpose of this was to eliminate the obstacle that could hinder ship navigation.

However, it is likely that valuable archaeological objects were also damaged during these operations.

"Our initial interest was related to the possibility of finding the remains of the Victoria. But helping the Cromer community better understand the history of Shipden has been a major achievement for us. Perhaps Church Rock was actually a coastal fortification. Therefore, the search for the church itself will continue," said senior diver Nick Schiller.

The research is being carried out within the framework of the Alfred Savin project with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Although the diving season has currently ended, scientists plan to continue their research in 2027.

The discovered archaeological materials and created 3D models are being prepared for display at the Cromer Museum and presentation to the public on the internet.

Earlier, it was reported that a ship with submerged valuable finds had been discovered off the coast of Scotland. This ship, belonging to King Charles I of England and Scotland, sank in 1633, and it was stated that the total value of the find, along with the royal items and works of art on board, could exceed 1 billion dollars.