Medieval boat unearthed in Norfolk marshland

A 600-year-old medieval boat has been uncovered by archaeologists working on a flooding project in the Norfolk Broads.

A six-metre oak timber boat, thought to date from 1400, has been discovered along
the River Chet near Loddon by archaeologists [Credit: ITV News]

The remains of the oak timber frame boat, said to have been well-preserved, have been hailed as a 'rare and important' find by the team.

The six-metre boat, thought to date back to 1400, was found by archaeologists excavating a drainage dyke along the River Chet, near Loddon.

The 'significant' find contains wooden pegs, iron nails and copper alloy nails and looks to have been waterproofed with a mixture of animal hair and tar.

Archaeologist Heather Wallis told the BBC: 'No boats of this date have previously been found in Norfolk.

'This has had a strong reliance on water transport and related industries, particularly since the creation of the Broads by peat digging in the medieval period.

The boat, which would have had a sail, may have been used to carry light goods along the river.

This area has had a strong reliance on water transport and related industries, particularly since the creation of the Broads by peat digging in the medieval period,' Ms Wallis told the Eastern Daily Press.

'We cannot be entirely sure how the boat was propelled, but it is likely to have been sailed and/or rowed or quanted down the river.'

Now the team plans to recover the boat from its resting place so they can perform tests on the wood and date it.

Eventually, the boat will be freeze-dried and preserved for life in a Norfolk museum.

'Some of the planks on the side of the boat are quite loosely in place so we'll be removing them separately to put into wet storage,' said Ms Wallis.

The work which led to the discovery is part of the Broadland Flood Alleviation Project to improve the area's projection from rising waters.

Author: Helen Lawson | Source: Daily Mail [August 03, 2013]