Dutch east indiaman · lost 1664 · Shetland, United Kingdom
Kennemerland
A team from Aston University found the remains of the Kennemerland in 1971, and some fifteen years of archaeological survey and recovery followed; in 1978 the site was designated a historic wreck. She was a wooden Dutch East Indiaman, bought by the Amsterdam Chamber of the VOC, armed with iron and bronze guns, and had completed a single trading voyage to the Indies.
On her second, bound for Batavia with her sister Rijnland and a share of a large sum in coin, she took the northern route to avoid English warships, was driven by a southerly gale onto the Outer Skerries of Shetland and broke in two. Three lookouts in the foremast shrouds reached the rocks and were the only survivors.
The Earl of Morton's men salvaged much of the coin, but Charles II claimed the wreck for the crown and the Earl lost his estates. Parts of the ship and some iron cannon remain in place.
- Type
- Dutch east indiaman
- Lost
- 1664
- Location
- Shetland, United KingdomNorth Sea
History and LossLost 1664 · Shetland, United Kingdom.
She and the Rijnland left Texel on 14 December 1664 with a general cargo and 240,000 guilders between them. Reaching Shetland on 20 December, the pair were separated in the storm, and she lost headway as her sails tore and spars were carried away. She struck an outcrop lying just awash; her forepart sank in deep water and her aft section was swept ashore on Bruray Island.
Salvage under the chamberlain of the Earl of Morton recovered some 115,000 guilders in a matter of weeks.
Lost 1664.
Condition of the Wreck
Intactness
Fifteen years of archaeological work removed most of what remained, though parts of her structure and a number of cast iron cannon are still on the site. The wreckage lies in fairly shallow water near Stoura Stack.
Notable Features
- Cast iron cannon
- Surviving elements of the ship
Sea-Surface Temperature by Month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface temp | 8.3° | 7.6° | 7.4° | 7.7° | 8.8° | 10.6° | 12.4° | 12.9° | 12.3° | 11.4° | 10.4° | 9.2° |
Additional Details7 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Loss date
- 1664
- Latitude
- 60.4195° N
- Longitude
- 0.7520° W
- Water body
- North Sea
- War grave
- Not recorded
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
Sources and VerificationEvery fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Historic Environment Scotland (Canmore, NRHE)inspire.hes.scot · Official record6 facts
- NOAA / NASA JPL MUR SST v4.1coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov · Institution or archive1 fact
- Scottish Shipwrecksscottishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source2 facts
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Historic Environment Scotland.
- JPL MUR MEaSUREs Project. GHRSST Level 4 MUR Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (v4.1). PO.DAAC. https://doi.org/10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04
A further 6 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kennemerland?
Kennemerland is the wreck of a dutch east indiaman, off Shetland, United Kingdom. Kennemerland was lost in 1664.
How did the Kennemerland sink?
The cause of the loss of Kennemerland is not recorded in the sources held; the loss is dated 1664.