Shipwreck off Eastbourne coast identified as 17th Century Dutch warship

A shipwreck lying off the Eastbourne coast has been identified as a Dutch warship which sank in 1672.

The wreck had previously been unidentified after being discovered in 2019 but has now been identified as the Dutch warship Klein Hollandia, which was built in 1656.

Much of the wooden hull was found, together with cannons, Italian marble tiles and pieces of Italian pottery.

The wreck was discovered by Eastbourne dive operator David Ronnan and then reported to Historic England.

A shipwreck lying off Eastbourne has been identified as a Dutch warship which sank in 1672.

The Klein Hollandia was considered so important that it was granted the highest level of protection under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, meaning only licensed divers were allowed to dive to the wreck site.

Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: "The identification of the Klein Hollandia offers a glimpse back into the 17th Century, giving us a chance to learn more about the maritime history of this period and to uncover treasures which have been underwater for hundreds of years.