Stirling Castle Summary

During 2008, English Heritage commissioned the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology (HWTMA) to audit and appraise the archive for the Protected Wreck Site of the Stirling Castle (Phase 1). The ship was lost in the Great Storm of 1703. It is located towards the north-west side of the Goodwin Sands, c. 8.5 kilometres north-east of Deal, Kent.

Following the Stirling Castle Conservation and Management Plan recommendations (Dunkley 2008), and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (English Heritage 2006), a phased approach to the audit, assessment, analysis, interpretation and publication of the archive from the Stirling Castle site has been adopted. The phases will include:

  • Phase 1: archive audit and appraisal (completed) [Click here]
  • Phase 2: archive assessment (currently undertaken);
  • Phase 3: archive analysis (after completion of Phase 2);
  • Phase 4: targeted archaeological recording and interpretation (after completion of Phases 2 & 3);
  • Phase 5: publication and dissemination (after completion of Phase 4)

Phase 1 of this project involved locating, visiting and appraising site archive material including site records, surveys, images, videos and artefacts. The relevance of this work is to provide an archive audit and appraisal as an initial step in helping to enable public access to an archive of local, regional, national and international importance. A wide range of national, regional and local bodies and organisations and several private individuals were consulted.

Phase 1 results have shown that cross referencing, cataloguing, ordering and indexing will be required to enable a comprehensive assessment of the Stirling Castle archive. This work is being undertaken as part of Phase 2.

The overall project will allow a wider understanding of the Stirling Castle and its relevance local, regional, national and international levels and enabling further assessment of its significance. This will also provide a more comprehensive understanding of the people who worked and travelled on the Stirling Castle and their history. More importantly, it will enable to understand the Stirling Castle as a social product of its time.