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The Wreck of the Amsterdam, 1749

The Amsterdam, a ship belonging to the Dutch East India Company, was wrecked on the Bulverhythe shore near Hastings on 26 January 1749. The ship was carrying around 2 tons of silver coins. The wreck site is protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act.

Above: The bow of Amsterdam at low tide

The site is accessible via the footbridge at the end of Bridge Way (off the Bexhill Road (A259)). There is no parking in Bridge Way, we managed to find parking along the Bexhill Road.

When I first arrived on site I thought these timbers surrounding the Amsterdam wreck were part of the ships' debris field. They are actually the remains of a 4000 year old prehistoric forest.

The Shipwreck & Coastal Heritage Centre on the seafront at Hastings. Some of the material recovered during the archaeological investigation of Amsterdam is on display here. I planned to put up the opening times of the museum, but the best I could get from the staff member I spoke to was that they were definitely open weekends, so be sure to call before trying to visit (contact detail at the bottom of this page). Well worth a visit if you are in the area.