For the past few years, our Christmas blogs have joyfully explored celebratory events and traditions from around the world. This year, we’re taking a fresh perspective, recognizing that Christmas can also be a time of unique challenges for many. Amid the holiday cheer, countless individuals, including mariners, continue their essential work, often in extraordinary circumstances. [...]

The holiday season is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a little brain-teasing cheer? This crossword, created by MAT volunteer Roger Burns, features ships’ names and other maritime or nautical expressions or phrases, some of which are “linking” words. Answers including associated weblinks will be posted next month. Download, print, and test [...]

As part of our recent series of blogs on Bouldnor Cliff, MAT has been exploring how divers qualify to dive for work, and the methods recently used to take samples at the site. Now, MAT’s Project Officer, Carley Divish, shares her research on the lithic collection.   I have experience diving in all conditions, from freezing Indiana [...]

When thinking about the First World War it can be easy to view the maritime activities as solely those of warships. But many other vital operations were carried out by merchant and auxiliary fleets. Work experience student Noah looks into these civilian vessels and their valuable contribution to the war effort. Commercial ships, such as [...]

The HMS Hermes began service as a flagship before it was modified to accommodate seaplanes, and eventually met a tragic end in the Straits of Dover. Five students from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, aided by the research from volunteer Andrew Daw, share the story of this vessel which was lost 110 years ago today.  [...]

Volunteer diver Jezz Davies was delighted to receive three invitations back in 2024 after enjoying a couple of days diving with the Maritime Archaeology Trust (MAT) team in July 2023. In this blog, Jezz shares his account of diving six days on Wight Spirit out of Lymington, totalling sixteen dives at Bouldnor Cliff that season. [...]

On October 25th, over 100 years ago, the Velox met its end in the eastern Solent and the site has been investigated several times since. Recent work experience student Aiden tells the story of this ship and its final voyage.  Launched on February 11, 1902 as the HMS Python it was later bought and renamed [...]

This crossword, created by MAT volunteer Roger Burns, features ships’ names which are also variously worldwide cities and towns, a foreign mountain range, foreign countries, UK rivers and edifices. As usual, “linking” words are included, some are nautical or maritime, and some are not. Answers including associated weblinks will be posted next month. Download, print, [...]

MAT is delighted to be taking forward a project assessing the remains of Metal hulled sailing vessels within English Territorial Waters.  Thanks to funding from Historic England we are exploring the history and significance of these vessels. Volunteers are involved in undertaking this research. We hear from Jack Thorode, a Masters Student from Southampton University, [...]

In July 2023, MAT’s Project Officer Greta embarked on the HSE commercial SCUBA divers’ course at Andark Diving School, made possible thanks to the Maritime Archaeology Trust. One year later, Greta reflects on the course itself and diving at Bouldnor Cliff since. We approach the underwater platform in Vobster Quay, our first dive, and watch [...]