Divers Capture First Images of Underwater Structures Believed to Be Remains of 14th Century Town

<p>Divers have captured the first-known images of underwater structures believed to be remnants of a village submerged by the sea approximately 700 years ago. The images and video were taken off the coast of Norfolk in the United Kingdom, as reported by news agency Jam Press.</p><p>The remains are thought to be from the lost town of Shipden, a medieval settlement that was consumed by the North Sea in the 14th century.</p><p>At the site, divers photographed and mapped 25 man-made features. The images show large, marine-covered stone structures protruding from the sandy seabed as divers explored the centuries-old site.</p><p>Volunteer divers from the East Anglian branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) assisted in the survey and mapping of the underwater site as part of the Alfred Savin Project's investigation.</p><p>Despite the North Sea's reputation for rough conditions, the water was unusually calm during the summer dives, which facilitated the team's ability to photograph and map features on the seabed.</p><p>The divers discovered structures made of flint, a common building material in medieval Norfolk, along with other pieces of cut stone and the remains of stone foundation structures known as caissons. Researchers are still determining the exact purpose of the caissons, which may have been part of a 14th-century effort to hold back the sea.</p><p>Some structures remain eight to ten layers of stone high despite being underwater for centuries. This effort marks the first time these features have been photographed.</p><p>Once a thriving village, Shipden had a modest population during the High Middle Ages. The Domesday Book, which recorded land and populations across England after the Norman Conquest, noted that Shipden had 117 residents in 1086. The town included three acres of meadow, a harbor, two churches, and woodland capable of supporting 36 pigs.</p><p>By the 14th century, the name Shipden gradually disappeared from records, and the area became known as Cromer. Historical records confirm that a church was lost to the sea, but divers have not yet found any remains that can be definitively identified as the building. Legend suggests that the tower of St. Peter's Church survived beneath the waves on a formation known as Church Rock.</p><p>Lead diver Nick Schiller stated that the team initially set out to search for additional remains of the Victoria, a vessel that wrecked on Church Rock in 1888. He noted, "However, it’s been a bonus to help the Cromer team to take some steps forward in understanding the town of Shipden and the port of Cromer." Schiller indicated that the findings suggest Church Rock, long believed to be connected to the lost church, may instead be the remains of medieval sea defenses.</p><p>Currently, the location of the church remains unknown. Looking ahead, Peter Stibbons, chair of the Friends of Cromer Museum and director of the project, mentioned that researchers are examining medieval records alongside the physical discoveries to gain a better understanding of the area. Stibbons remarked, "Those of us brought up in Cromer have always known the story of Church Rock, so it’s a big step to saying the legend may be incorrect." He added, "For the present, we’re putting forward ideas rather than conclusions."</p>