Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Remains of schooner Hans Egede, the entire vessel survives to deck level, though deck is mostly gone, in Higham Creek

Monument Types

• WRECK (caught fire/beached 1955, Modern - 1955 AD to 1955 AD (pre))

Full description

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Method of Fix: Aerial Photograph Interpretation Photograph Number: KCC 1967 Line 35:1351 Method of Fix: Aerial Photograph Interpretation Photograph Number: KCC 1985 Line 6: 0092 Method of Fix: Aerial Photograph Interpretation Photograph Number: KCC 1990 Line 4: 0250 A double-ended barge lying parallel to shore, behind the line of a groin. The barge, which is not on the 1961 survey, is on both the 1967, 1985 and 1990 surveys. The 1967 survey shows that the barge remains visible at high tide. Source (1) records as spritsail barge. Identified as auxiliary schooner Hans Egede, which caught fire off the Dutch coast in 1955 and was towed to Dover, subsequently beached near Cliffe jetty (2). Site photographs (2-12).. Large wooden and iron barge wreck in very good condition. Totally dry at low tide. Height about 9 m. Inner structures partly preserved. (13)
Wooden, auxiliary 3-masted vessel, built in 1922 by J. Th. Jorgensen at Thuro, Denmark. Apparently, she was reported damaged by fire west of the North Hinder light vessel on the 21st August 1955. She was towed to Dover where the fire was extinguished. In 1957 she passed into the ownership of the Atlas Diesel Co. and was towed out of Dover by the tug Westercock. She then spent some years in the Medway as a coal and/or grain hulk. She was then towed to Cubits Town on the Thames. Unfortunately, as the tug Fossa from Gravesend was towing her up Sea Reach the strain on the structure, which had become weakened over the years, proved too much causing her to take in water and sink. After grounding on the Blyth Sands she was beached at Cliffe (14).

<1> Eve, D., 1999, A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent, I34 (Monograph). SWX9293.

<2> Lane, A., 1999, Shipwrecks of Kent, p 32 (Monograph). SWX9301.

<3> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10273.

<4> 1979, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10955.

<5> 1979, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10968.

<6> 1993, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10969.

<7> 1993, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10970.

<8> 1993, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10973.

<9> 1993, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10975.

<10> 1993, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10978.

<11> 1993, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10980.

<12> 1979, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10985.

<13> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report (Unpublished document). SWX12323.

<14> Allan Cherry, A pictorial histpry of Colling and Cliff (Monograph). SWX12324.

Sources and further reading