Models relating to the Rooswijk Protected Wreck Site. The Rooswijk is a vessel of the Dutch East Company (VOC) built in 1737 which stranded on the Goodwin Sands in 1740 while en route from the Texel to the East Indies. The vessel is described as a 'retourschip', a specific type of Dutch East Indiaman which was designed to withstand the lengthy voyages of 18 months to three years typically undertaken en route to Batavia [Indonesia]. The site was found after several years of documentary research and following a magnetometer survey on the site.

In 2016 Dutch and British archaeologists undertook a survey on the site which showed it was at high risk. To address this a team has come together from Historic England and the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE) to undertake an archaeological excavation in summer 2017 and 2018. Follow this project on social media using #Rooswijk1740

You can find out more about the site here: historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/...