Teignmouth&Shaldon Museum

Despite 20 years of historical and archaeological research, the origins and class of vessel on the Church Rocks wreck site remains a mystery, although it certainly dates from the 16th Century. From studies so far made, the ship appears to have been two-masted, carvel built of some 100 to 200 tons and not dissimilar from the 'Zabras' the small fast communications and service vessels that accompanied the Spanish Armada in 1588.

In 1975, 13-year-old Simon Burton found a Venetian saker gun in shallow water about 150 metres off the Eastcliffe shore in Teignmouth. His find was the beginning of a long search into the origins of the ship, which even after all these years remain a mystery.

At first it was thought to have been connected with the Spanish Armada of 1588 but later evidence suggests that it was an armed trading or supply vessel. The find fascinated many - in fact Channel Four’s Time Team got involved in 1995. The ship appears to have been two-masted, carvel-built of some 100 to 200 tons and was not dissimilar from the ‘Zabras’, the small, fast communications and service vessels that accompanied the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The gun was just the first of many items to be recovered from the site. To date six guns have been recovered - a saker, two minions and three swivels. The saker was loaded with iron shot and the tampion was still in situ in the muzzle. Extensive research has so far failed to identify the coat of arms. One of the two minions was also loaded. It is thought that the saker and the two minions are the work of Sigismundo Alberghetti the second (1539 - 1610) and that they were cast during his tenure of office as Chief Founder in Venice between 1582 and 160l. The three swivel guns are virtually identical in terms of form and decoration and common provenance is assumed. The swivel gun, recovered in 1982, is in Teignmouth and Shaldon Museum along with one of the minion guns and part of a minion gun carriage.

Many other artefacts recovered from the wreck include an alcancia; a 15/16th century Spanish fire-pot, and a large copper caulking boiler with its 400 year-old original pitch in tact. The crud, the encrustation that forms through the chemical reaction of seawater on the seabed on material left in the sea,
revealed globules of mercury which was carried by many trading ships for the refinement of silver; A 13th to 15th century merchant’s seal is another of the many fascinating items recovered, all of which can be viewed at the Museum.

For more detailed information about the excavation of the site, the items found and their origins, and the divers behind the finds :

Monograph No. 3 - The Sixteenth Century Wreck on Church Rocks is available at £2-50 per copy (inclusive of Postage and Packaging). Please do not send cash. Make cheques payable to ‘Teign Heritage’. All enquiries and orders by mail only. Please ensure that your name and full postal address are included with all correspondence.

The Divers

Diving has continued since 1983 under the care of Simon Burton, the discoverer of the wreck in 1975, and Roger Strudwick his enthusiastic companion, who between them have born stoically the burden of very hard work, disappointments, frustration and the cold sea, aided and guided by the site Archaeologist, Chris Preece. The voluntary service given selflessly by these young men deserve our grateful thanks and admiration.

Armament

The recovered guns – of which one four-pounder and one swivel gun are on display, the remainder are in other private collections.
SIX-POUNDER FOUR-POUNDER (two of) SWIVEL GUNS (three of)
FOUNDRY Initials “S.A.” on gun indicate Sigismondo Alberghetti Initials “S.A.” on gun indicate Sigismondo Alberghetti Probably the Alberghetti Foundry.
PLACE OF ORIGIN Venice, Venice, Venice (probably)
METAL Bronze, Bronze Bronze barrel with cast iron breech and chamber.
DIMENSIONS Length 11’5”
Bore 3 – ¾” Length: 9’
Bore 3” Length: 7’
Bore 3- 1/2”
PROJECTILE 6 lb. Iron ball 4 lb. Iron ball 2lb. Stone ball or clusters of lead bullets or chain shot
WEIGHT 1 TON (approx) ½ ton (approx) 4 – 5 cwt. (approx)
RANGE Point blank
Extreme (approx) 300 yards.
1,400 yards 270 yards
1,340 yards close quarter weapon.
TYPE Muzzle loader, Muzzle loader, Quick firing breech loader with separate chambers
PURPOSE Anti ship Anti ship Anti personnel and boarder repeller.
NAME English
Mediterranean Saker
Sacre Minion
Culebra Cuartes Great Base Swivel
Esmeril Largo or Falcon Pedrero
RECOVERED 1975, 1977, 1981, 1977, 1980, 1982.

Owner

Just as the founder signed his products, so the purchaser of important artillery signified ownership by having his coat of arms cast on each piece as a part of the commission. The guns recovered are all expensive pieces cast in bronze and far superior to the cheaper iron cannon carried by common Merchantmen.
SAKER: Coat of Arms – Crest of Fleur de Lys and Eagles’ Heads, Shield with Quarterings, dexter a lion rampant, sinister upper an unidentified object, sinister lower a rose or cartwheel.
MINION : Crest as on Saker but Escutcheon plain with no quarterings.
GREAT BASE: No Coat of Arms, but ten Sun motifs on the barrel muzzle end with four lion heads on the breech end.
None identified to date.

For more detailed information

Monograph No 3 - The Sixteenth Century Wreck on Church Rocks
is available at £2.50 per copy (inclusive of postage and packaging)
Please do not send cash make cheques payable to ‘Teign Heritage’. All enquiries and orders for this Monograph by mail only.
Please ensure that your name and full postal address are included with all correspondence.