The Last Voyage of the Gloucester: Norfolk’s Royal Shipwreck, 1682
On 6 May 1682, a warship carrying the future King of England and Scotland ran aground in heavy seas off the coast of Great Yarmouth. Within an hour the vessel sank, causing many lives to be lost, and for over 300 years, the wreck and its contents lay buried on the seabed.
Now, this major exhibition will explore the ship’s dramatic discovery by brothers Julian and Lincoln Barnwell, and display for the first time some of the fascinating objects recovered from the wrecksite. Most striking is the bell – that confirmed the ship’s identity − which will be on show alongside beautifully preserved personal effects, that tell stories of the passengers and crew, and of life on board the ship.
Witness the argument that led to the ship running aground and decide who you think was to blame. Learn about the finding of the Gloucester and about the ongoing historical, scientific, and archaeological research into the wreck and its importance.
A royal shipwreck
James Stuart, Duke of York and Albany survived the ship’s sinking to become King James II and VII in 1685. The Gloucester represents an important ‘almost’ moment in British political history: a royal shipwreck causing the very near-death of the Catholic heir to the Protestant throne at a time of great political and religious tension. Alongside the wreck finds our exhibition will include a series of key loans from the UK and Holland - paintings, manuscripts and navigational instruments, to enrich visitors’ understanding of the historical context.
Tickets
We are expecting this exhibition to be very popular and recommend you book your tickets in advance using the links below:
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This exhibition has been created in partnership with UEA. The objects rescued from The Gloucester wrecksite appear in this exhibition with the kind permission of the Ministry of Defence and Norfolk Historic Shipwrecks.
