navy

An extraordinary discovery has been made in the Thames Estuary: a remarkably well-preserved bronze cannon from the 17th-century warship London has emerged after spending nearly 360 years buried in thick silt and clay. The find, made by a licensed diver from Historic England, offers new insights into one of England’s most significant shipwrecks. A Warship of Historical Importance The London was a warship of considerable historical importance, built between 1654 and 1656 at Chatham Historic Dockyard during a period of significant political upheaval in England . This was a time marked by the aftermath of the English Civil War (1642-1648) and the conclusion of the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-1654). The London played a pivotal role in British history, forming part