NHER 63800 (Find Spot record) - Palaeolithic, post-medieval to modern and World War Two era finds, North Sea

This record details archaeologically significant material recovered during off-shore dredging within Aggregates Extraction Licence Area 512, which lies approximately 17 km south-east of Great Yarmouth. These discoveries were reported to Historic England through the Marine Aggregate Industry Protocol for Reporting Finds of Archaeological Interest. See (S1) and (S2) for addition information on the reporting protocol. See NHER 69601 for information on additional, poorly-located finds that were potentially from Licence Area 512.

Pre 5 May 2015. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Northfleet Wharf:
1 modern unidentified metal object. Appears to be a piece of 'L'-sectioned framing, with remnants of fabric attached - suggesting it was part of a canopy frame.
See reporting protocol annual report (S3) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 November 2025.

2016-2017 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Northfleet Wharf:
1 ?World War Two aluminium unidentified aircraft fragment.
See reporting protocol annual report (S5) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 November 2025.

Pre 30 May 2017. Off-shore Dredging.
Found attached to a magnet at Dagenham Wharf:
1 post-medieval/modern iron knife blade. Blade is 275mm long and from a fixed blade knife. Probably lost or discarded overboard during shipping operations.
See Discovery Report (S4) and reporting protocol annual report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 March 2020.

2018-2019 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Northfleet Wharf:
1 undated wrought iron anchor (probably from a smaller vessel).
1 ?modern metal fish hook.
See reporting protocol annual report (S24) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 November 2025.

2019-2020 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Angerstein Wharf, all within the same cargo:
2 Palaeolithic mammoth teeth.
4 undated animal bone fragments. Provisionally identified as a cattle metatarsal, a possible vertebra from a large marine mammal or Quaternary mammal (such as a mammoth), a fragment that potentially related to a large Quaternary mammal and an undiagnostic piece of mineralised bone.
2 modern unidentified metal objects. More likely to be related to a maritime vessel than an aircraft.
See reporting protocol annual report (S25) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
It should be noted that while the detailed descriptions of these objects within report (S25) record them as being solely from Licence Area 512, the summary list of all finds reported in 2019-2020 suggests that the mammoth teeth and one of the other bone fragments could be from either Licence Area 512 or Licence Area 460 (East English Channel Region), and the other objects from either Licence Area 512 or Licence Area 511 (also East Coast Region). The Discovery Reports will hopefully resolve this uncertainty. The animal bones were featured in the Autumn 2020 issue of the protocol's newsletter (S29).
P. Watkins (HES), 16 November 2025.

2019-2020. Off-shore Dredging.
See NHER 69601 for details of a poorly-located object found at Angerstein Wharf, amongst a mixed load comprising material from both this location and Licence Area 460 (East English Channel Region).
P. Watkins (HES), 17 November 2025.

2020-2021 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Clubbs Marine Aggregates Wharf:
3 modern unidentified metal objects. Not readily identifiable as being related to either an aircraft or a ship.
1 modern metal file.
See reporting protocol annual report (S26) for further details. Discovery Report awaited. The three unidentified metal objects were featured in the Spring 2021 issue of the protocol's newsletter (S30).
P. Watkins (HES), 17 November 2025.

2021-2022 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found on board the Sand Falcon:
1 undated (but definitely not modern) wrought iron small anchor.
See reporting protocol annual report (S27) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 November 2025.

2021-2022 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Clubbs Marine Aggregates Wharf:
1 modern unidentified object. Not readily identifiable as being related to either an aircraft or a ship. One suggested interpretation is that it is part of a dosing pump (which have a wide variety of applications).
See reporting protocol annual report (S27) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 November 2025.

2021-2022 (exact date unknown at present). Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Northfleet Wharf:
1 World War Two aircraft engine fragment. It has been identified as part of an American Pratt & Whitney engine, which was fitted to various aircraft, including the B25 Mitchell and P47 Thunderbolt.
See reporting protocol annual report (S27) for further details. Discovery Report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 November 202

2021-2022. Off-shore Dredging.
See NHER 69601 for details of three poorly-located cannon fragments found at Clubbs' Denton Wharf, amongst material from this location and Licence Area 407 (South Coast Region).
P. Watkins (HES), 17 November 2025.

Pre 8 January 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found on board Reimerswaal:
27 World War Two aluminium aircraft component fragments and 8 iron aircraft component fragments. None are closely identifiable.
See Discovery Report (S6) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 17 January 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found on board Sand Fulmar:
9 World War Two aircraft fragments. The majority are probably components from a Merlin engine, which were used in a range of aircraft from 1933 onwards. The remaining two pieces appear to be some kind of gauge and a gun mount.
See Discovery Report (S7) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 21 February 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
1 modern pottery sherd. White tableware.
See Discovery Report (S8) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 19 April 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
4 World War Two metal aircraft components. Identified as being potentially from a British Vickers Wellington bomber.
1 modern unidentified metal objects. A fragment of metal tubing that doesn't appear to be an aircraft component and lacks any visible markings that could aid identification.
See Discovery Report (S9) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 1 May 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
13 World War Two metal aircraft component fragments. Including pieces identified a parts from radial engines and a section of airframe.
1 modern unidentified metal object. Not necessarily aircraft related, being much heavier than the other fragments recovered from the same cargo.
See Discovery Reports (S10) and (S11) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 14 May 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
1 World War Two projectile from .50 Browning Machine Gun round. Most likely fired in combat or training during World War Two.
See Discovery Report (S12) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 18 June 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
2 World War Two spent casings. One is from a 2-pounder round and the other from a 20mm Oerlikon round - ammunition from guns that were both used by the Royal Navy, primarily as anti-aircraft weapons.
See Discovery Report (S13) and reporting protocol annual report (S28) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 11 November 2024. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
1 late post-medieval rope fragment and cattle bones.
1 modern crushed aluminium fragment (probably from an aircraft but lacking any diagnostic features) and 1 unidentified metal object (possibly a guide wheel).
See Discovery Reports (S14)-(S17) for further details. Associated annual report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 19 March 2025. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Cemex's Northfleet Wharf:
1 post-medieval wooden plank, which could have come from shore infrastructure or a wooden boat or been discarded from a larger vessel.
11 World War Two aluminium aircraft component fragments. These comprise various airframe sections and although lacking diagnostic features are mostly likely from British aircraft lost during World War Two.
2 World War Two shell cases. Identified as an unfired .50 Browning Machine Gun casing manufactured in 1943 and a spent 20mm Oerlikon casing, unusual for being painted green (most likely to protect the round from salt water corrosion).
1 ?World War Two steel possible aircraft component (potentially part of an aircraft's fuel or oil tank) and 1 length of coiled wire, once wrapped in tape (also potentially from an aircraft).
See Discovery Reports (S18)-(22) for further details. Associated annual report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.