Divers explore mysteries of 14th Century lost town

The remains of a Norfolk town that was claimed by the sea about 700 years ago have been explored by divers in an attempt to map its seabed site.

Shipden once graced the north Norfolk coast until it appeared to succumb to the waves in the 14th Century - with its demise shrouded in myth and speculation.

Divers explored an area off Cromer and photographed 25 manmade features - but found no trace of a church which, according to legend, had a bell that could be heard tolling from the depths.

"Those of us brought up in Cromer have always known the story of church rock, so it's a big step to saying the legend may be incorrect," said Peter Stibbons, chairman of the Friends of Cromer Museum.

"We're busy going through the medieval documentation and matching it to the physical finds to date, to suggest a better understanding of Shipden - and for the present we're putting forward ideas rather than conclusions.

"We're extremely grateful for the divers who have been so helpful to date."

The Domesday Book of 1086 records Shipden as having 117 residents, 36 swine, a harbour and two churches.

There is believed to have been a high level of storm activity in the late medieval period, and research by North Norfolk District Council suggests the church was underwater by 1400.

Over the centuries, the mythology of Shipden was dominated by the story of "church rock" and a bell.

No feature that could be positively identified as a church was found by the divers, although they did spot some flintwork that may have been toppled.

Stibbons explained that this could be down to an 1888 crash involving a Great Yarmouth steam paddle tug called Victoria.

"It is now thought that it wasn't actually a church, but that the name became attached by legend," said Stibbons.

"There certainly was a church, St Peter's at Shipden, but it was probably further north and west of the traditionally identified site."

Specialist photography during the dive has enabled 3D modelling of features to be carried out.

This included a line of flint foundations or caissons, which were being interpreted as "a 14th Century attempt to hold back the advancing sea", the friends group said.

Lead diver Nick Schiller said their initial interest had been in any remains of the Victoria, but it was a "bonus" to help with an understanding of Shipden.

The Friends of Cromer Museum said theories and reconstructions would be published online in the coming months.

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.