Uncovering the Gloucester: Norfolk’s Mary Rose

In May 1682, royal warship the Gloucester sank off the Norfolk coast while carrying the future King James II of England. James survived, though hundreds lost their lives. More than three centuries later, two Norfolk brothers found the wreck of the Gloucester. Its discovery has remained a closely kept secret - until now.

UEA researchers are starting to unearth the mysteries behind the ship’s tragic end and assess its wider maritime career. Professor Claire Jowitt and Dr Ben Redding of UEA’s highly regarded School of History have embarked on a major research project to explore why the disaster happened and the political consequences of the event. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust, they will also work to tell the stories of some of the 130-250 people who drowned in the disaster.

A major exhibition, The Last Voyage of the Gloucester: Norfolk’s Royal Shipwreck 1682, runs from 25 February to 25 July 2023 at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. The exhibition is co-curated by Norfolk Museums Service and UEA researchers.

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