AH-WR-1323

Warwick

Merchantman · England · Lost 1619 · Bermuda

A 1619 English colonial merchantman that broke free of her anchor in a hurricane and wrecked in Castle Harbour, later excavated as one of the era's most complete hulls.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Warwick was carrying settlers and supplies bound for the Virginia colony when a hurricane struck while she lay at anchor in Castle Harbour, Bermuda, in November 1619. Her anchor cable parted and she was driven onto the reefs, rolling onto her starboard side, where silt helped preserve much of her hull. The wreck was rediscovered in 1967 by diver Teddy Tucker and Smithsonian curator Mendel Peterson. Extensive archaeological excavation between 2008 and 2012 by the National Museum of Bermuda, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, and Texas A&M University documented what is considered one of the most complete early 17th-century English merchant hulls found to date.

Vessel

Built: Not established
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Wood
Length: 228 ft
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Sail
Owners: Sir Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick / Virginia Company

Loss

Date: November 1, 1619
Cause: Storm
Location: Castle Harbour, Bermuda
Water: Castle Harbour, Bermuda
Voyage: England → Jamestown, Virginia (via Bermuda)
Cargo: Supplies and provisions for the Virginia colony
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Hull remains rolled onto starboard side and preserved in silt; one of the most complete early 17th-century English merchant hulls found.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: 1967
Protection: Protected historic wreck under Bermuda's Historic Wrecks Act

Position

Coordinates: 32.383° N 64.705° W
Accuracy: Surveyed position
Nearest: Castle Harbour, Bermuda
Region: Bermuda

Position as documented by the National Museum of Bermuda / Bermuda 100 project.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (80/100)

Exact original dimensions and construction details beyond the excavated hull remains are not fully established in the sources reviewed.

National Museum of Bermuda
Loss circumstances, discovery, and excavation history.
International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
Excavation report and archaeological significance.