Coronation Geophysical Survey
This project, funded by English Heritage, was undertaken jointly by MAST and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Maritime Archaeological Society (CISMAS). Promare UK was sub-contracted to conduct the magnetometer survey and Swathe Services to conduct a multibeam survey using the new ultra-high resolution 700 kHz Sonic 2024 multibeam sonar from R2Sonic.
The Coronation was a 90-gun second rate, built in 1685 by Isaac Betts at Portsmouth dockyard as one of the 1677 thirty-ships programme. On the 3rd September 1691 after patrolling for the French fleet, the English Fleet made for Plymouth. The Coronation foundered in a strong south easterly gale whilst trying to round Penlee Point with a loss of all but 13 of her crew, including the captain, Charles Skelton.
The Coronation Protected wreck site consists of two designated areas: Inshore (designated 1988) & Offshore (designated 1978). The area in between these two protected sites is known as the "Intermediate" site wherein lies an unverified scatter of archaeological material.
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The aim of the survey, by way of high resolution multibeam, magnetometer and side-scan sonar survey, was to produce a site plan of geo-referenced targets of both designated sites and the Intermediate area. The principal objectives were to: survey and identify the extent of the unverified scatter of archaeological material between the two designated areas; survey additional exposed material within the designated areas; and produce a structured record of field observations, in order to allow a further decision-orientated investigation of the project area.
An edited version of the report is available to download from this website. Both English Heritage and the Licensed Team have a full copy of the report with the accompanying DVD containing geophysical data and images.
