Schoolboy's Discovery Unveils 250-Year-Old Royal Navy Shipwreck in Scotland

A schoolboy's chance encounter with wooden ship ribs on a remote Orkney beach led to the identification of a 250-year-old shipwreck.

Archaeologists and local volunteers determined the wreck is the Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy frigate that later served as a whaler and was involved in the siege of Quebec. The shipwreck, first uncovered in February 2024 on Sanday Island, was preserved by sand dunes until its recent exposure. Scientific analysis and community research were key to solving the centuries-old maritime mystery.

The find sheds new light on Britain's naval history and the vessel's storied past.