How a 400-year-old ‘superpower’ shipwreck found off Scottish island is to be saved in 'race against time'

Now, experts have carried out “painstaking” emergency work to the wreck which washed up in a winter storm on the Orkney island of Sanday in order to save it - and understand it - for the future.

The timbers, which are believed to date from the 17th Century, have been submerged in a giant freshwater tank in Orkney in order to give them the best chance of survival.

Nicola Kalimeris, of Wessex Archaeology, said keeping the timbers in water helped to keep the wood “stable”.

She said: “If the timbers started to dry out too quickly, they will crack and warp. It is about keeping the wood stable until such a time that it will be preserved with a different method.”

Experts have embarked on the freshwater solution to saving the wreck after almost £80,000 was freed up by the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

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The operation has been described as a “race against time” in order to save the timbers from further deterioration.

The shipwreck, which astounded experts and locals when it emerged from the sands earlier this year due to its obvious age and remarkably good condition, is thought to be an internationally significant 17th century design - possibly of Dutch origin.

Now the wreck’s timbers – once preserved by the sands it lay hidden in for centuries – are safely installed in a custom 8-metre long tank, alongside the island’s Heritage Centre.

There, the timbers will remain suspended in freshwater to protect them from deterioration for two to three years while further research is carried out into the ship’s identity and significance.

The custom-designed tank has been fabricated by Aberdeen-based Waterfront Stainless Steel at their Orkney workshop.

Nick Hewitt, team manager for the culture team at Orkney Isles Council, said there was “definitely a palpable sense of relief” as the last of the timbers were lowered into the tank during the two-day operation.

Mr Hewitt said: “While the ship’s past remains a mystery for now, it’s entirely possible it hails from one of the naval superpowers of the time.

“Thanks to the speedy help of National Heritage Memorial Fund, researchers now have the opportunity to carry out the work needed to try and establish the ship’s history.”

Also on hand to oversee the delicate task of transferring the timbers to the tank were specialist archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology who were on Sanday in February following the wreck’s discovery.

Ben Saunders, senior marine archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology, said: “We're delighted to be involved in the efforts to conserve and understand this fascinating wreck, and working with the people of Sanday to do so.”

Dr Simon Thurley, chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, said: “The Sanday shipwreck is an exciting discovery, but many questions remain about where, and when, it originates. We are pleased to award this funding to Orkney Islands Council to protect and preserve the shipwreck, ensuring its survival and the chance for future research to determine its place in our maritime history.”

Sanday residents were quick to report the wreck and photograph the remains to allow future 3D modelling to take place.

Island farmers then helped remove the timbers as they began to break up in the tide with volunteers keeping timbers in freshwater to preserve them in the first instance before the tank could be built.

Clive Struver, chair of of the Sanday Development Trust, said: "It’s a huge sense of accomplishment for the community to see the timbers they’ve worked so hard to recover and protect for months now safely immersed where they can be protected for much, much longer

“We’ve won the initial race against the clock to stem their decay – now it’s over to researchers to do what they can in the next couple of years. We're also hoping that this eventually leads to significant enhancements to our Heritage Centre which could be a significant and attractive asset for Sanday in the future."