England—today an island nation-state—has been separated from the European continent by the ocean waters of the English Channel for the last 8,000 years. Seafaring across the English Channel, and via the Irish Sea—to invade, settle, or trade—has ensued for eons, from the Bronze Age all the way through to the 20th Century. And so have shipwrecks, caused by reefs, storms, piracy, and war. Each shipwreck tells a different tale from the long and rich record of British maritime history. In 1973, the British Parliament passed the Protection of Wrecks Act, which enabled the designation of restricted areas around significant shipwrecks to be monitored, researched and presented to the public by a system of volunteer maritime heritage conservationists. By 2023, 57 shipwrecks had received crucial protections under the Act.
Length: 35 min
Country: UK
Language: English
Director: Michael Pitts
Producer(s): Michael Pitts