Shipden: Divers explore ruins of lost 14th-century town

Divers have conducted an underwater exploration of the ruins of Shipden, a town on the north coast of Norfolk, UK, that was submerged by the sea approximately 700 years ago. The mission aimed to map the site and investigate local myths surrounding the lost settlement.

During the dive off the coast of Cromer, divers photographed 25 man-made features and created 3D models of the area. However, the search failed to find any definitive evidence of a church, challenging a long-standing local legend about a bell ringing from the depths. Peter Stobbs, president of the Friends of Cromer Museum, noted that the absence of the church might suggest the myth was incorrect or that the site was altered by an 1888 shipwreck involving the steam tug Victoria.

Historical records from the 1086 Domesday Book indicate that Shipden once housed 117 residents, 36 pigs, a harbor, and two churches. Research suggests the area was lost to storms during the late medieval period, with the church likely submerged by 1400.