1662–1687 · Shetland, United Kingdom
Wrangels Palais
A Danish court of enquiry blamed her loss on Lieutenant Jorgen Liebendantz, concluding that he was sleeping below decks during his watch, yet he was given other commands within the year and eventually retired on a pension. Built in Holland in 1662, she had sailed as a Swedish merchantman and warship before Admiral Niels Juel captured her at the Battle of Moen and the Royal Danish Navy armed her with forty-six guns.
In 1687 she was one of six ships under Vice Admiral Frederick Gedde sent north of Shetland against Turkish privateers. In dense fog she struck Lamba Stack in the Out Skerries under Captain Jacob Gabrielsen Roelack, and 152 of the 240 aboard reached the rocks. Her remains were found off Broad Skerry in 1990 and given protected status within days; later surveys recorded a spread of cast and bronze guns in a rock basin.
- Year built
- 1662
- Lost
- 1687
- Depth
- 25–28 m
- Location
- Shetland, United KingdomNorth Sea
Deeper than 81 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost 1687 · Shetland, United Kingdom.
She sailed with the Gyldenlove, Svermeren, Hejren, Victoria and Flyvende, carrying 240 men against a normal complement of 253. The fleet was enveloped in dense fog as it reached Shetland, and on 23rd July 1687 she ran aground on Lamba Stack. As she sank, 152 men scrambled ashore onto the rocks of the Skerries; Captain Roelack lost his life.
Built 1662; 25 years in service. Lost 1687.
Condition of the Wreckin 25–28 m.
Intactness
Her remains lie off the north-east end of Broad Skerry, where 31 guns were recorded in a rock basin at 25 to 28 metres. It was first extensively surveyed in 1993, Wessex Archaeology surveyed it again in 2011 with multi-beam bathymetry, and it remains protected.
Notable Features
- 31 guns, mainly cast, in a rock basin
- Two bronze guns
Sea-Surface Temperature by Month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface temp | 8.4° | 7.7° | 7.4° | 7.7° | 8.9° | 10.6° | 12.5° | 13° | 12.3° | 11.4° | 10.4° | 9.2° |
Additional Details9 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- Swedish
- Flag
- Sweden
- Loss date
- 1687
- Latitude
- 60.4245° N
- Longitude
- 0.7231° 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
- UK Hydrographic Officedatahub.admiralty.co.uk · Official record3 facts
- NOAA / NASA JPL MUR SST v4.1coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov · Institution or archive1 fact
- Scottish Shipwrecksscottishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source12 facts
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Historic Environment Scotland.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.
- 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 Wrangels Palais?
Wrangels Palais is the wreck of a ship, off Shetland, United Kingdom, at 28 metres. Wrangels Palais was lost in 1687.
How deep is the Wrangels Palais?
Wrangels Palais lies at 25 to 28 metres, North Sea, Shetland.
How did the Wrangels Palais sink?
The cause of the loss of Wrangels Palais is not recorded in the sources held; the loss is dated 1687.