found under the old bed of the rwer Rother. 57 



and the subject being of some interest in naval architecture, I 

 was directed by Sir Byam Martin, at the request of Lord Mel- 

 ville, to repair to the place where she was found, and to obtain 

 a true account of her build and situation, in order, if possible, 

 to ascertain the country she belonged to, and the period of her 

 submersion. My report has been subsequently transmitted 

 to the Admiralty ; and, at the suggestion of Mr Barrow, T have 

 taken the liberty of addressing to you a letter, containing the 

 substance of that report ; and should the subject be compatible 

 with the regulations as to papers usually read at the Society 

 of Antiquaries, it will afford me much satisfaction if you will 

 do me the favour to introduce it at the ensuing meeting. 



The site of the vessel is in the level of East Matham, in 

 Kent, near Matham Wharf, under the bank of a stream or 

 sewer, running into the present river Rother, to the west of 

 the Island of Oxney. She was accidentally discovered, and sub- 

 sequently dug out, by a person of the name of Elphee, a poor 

 man in the employ of J. Pomfret, Esq. to whom the adjoining 

 land belongs, and with whose permission, and the sanction of 

 the Commissioners of Sewers, the excavation was undertaken. 



Mr Elphee informed me, that part of the covering to the 

 after-cabin used to be Visible in the side of the bank, when the 

 water in the channel was very low, and about six years ago he 

 took some plankilig up (thinking at that time that it had been 

 part of an old sheep-wash), which he applied to the repairs of 

 a cart-shed, and some paling ; and in the early part of July last, 

 having occasion for some wood for a similar purpose, he drew 

 up a piece, which, from its shape and peculiar fastening, led 

 him to imagine that a vessel must have been sunk there. Having 

 confirmed the surmise by partially digging along the bank, he 

 communicated the discovery to several gentlemen, by whose ad- 

 vice and assurance that he should be at no risk of loss in the 

 event of its proving a bad undertaking, he dammed up the 

 channel, and commenced the work ; and in a few days, after 

 digging through ten feet of sea sand, the whole of the vessel 

 was exposed. See Plate I. Fig. 2. 



Her principal dimensions are as follow : — 



ft. in. 

 Length - - - - - - 63 8 



-4 • • 



