300-year-old shipwreck found near world’s largest offshore wind farm

After years of development, Danish power company Ørsted is on track to complete what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Around the end of 2027, the Hornsea 3’s wind farm’s roughly 230 turbines across a 268-square-mile section of the North Sea near Yorkshire will begin generating enough green energy to power an estimated 3.3 million homes in the United Kingdom.

However, before installing any of Hornsea 3’s equipment, construction crews conducted essential comprehensive safety scans of the area. These included efforts to identify and remove any potential unexploded ordinance lost during World War II. But during one of these surveys, workers spotted a trio of much older, unexpected artifacts. According to maritime archaeologists, the future site of Hornsea 3 was the final resting place for an over 300-year-old shipwreck that sank carrying a load of massive, valuable lead slabs known as ingots.

The ingots were about 75 miles east of Norfolk, at a depth of around 131 feet. The team found three ingots that each weigh over 150 pounds, about the size of a standard washing machine. Although a few timber remnants still lingered underneath the metal, researchers found little else of the wreckage. Despite this lack of other clues, the ingots themselves provide important contextual details. Each relic is stamped with either “IS,” “EB,” or “H,” which are similar to those found within the Kennemerland, a 1664 Dutch East India Company shipwreck previously discovered near the Shetland Islands. Historians theorize the unidentified vessel may also have originated in the Netherlands.

A radar scan shows the ingots’ location and the outline of its shipwreck. Credit: Ørsted

During the 17th century, England was famous for its lead industry, especially from its Derbyshire and Peak District mines. Because the metal’s toxicity had yet to be documented, lead was widely used in the manufacturing of plumbing infrastructure, cookware, and weaponry. At that time, much of England’s lead was often shipped to Dutch cities including Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Hornsea 3 wreckage is likely a testament to this era, since it’s located on a historical shipping route between the U.K. and the Netherlands.

The team added that while the ingots are the most significant discovery made during their survey last year, they waited to announce their find until they secured a new home for them. After further examination and preservation work, the artifacts will reside in the Peak District Lead Mining Museum.

“These ingots are a direct link to the past,” Alison James, MSDS Marine director of heritage services, said in a statement. “As a landlocked maritime archaeologist based in Derbyshire, “I love the thought that these ingots, potentially made from Derbyshire lead, have gone to sea and are now available for public view.”

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