Exploring · Preserving · Sharing
Discover the
Coronation Wreck
Explore the story of the Coronation — a 90-gun warship lost off Plymouth in 1691 and one of the first shipwrecks protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.
The Coronation Wreck Project
History beneath the surface
The Coronation Wreck Project brings together divers, researchers and volunteers with a shared interest in understanding and protecting this remarkable historic site.
Through research, diving, photography and the recording of artefacts and marine life, the project helps preserve the story of the Coronation while allowing today’s diving community to experience the wreck responsibly.
Explore
Discover the history of the Coronation, her loss and what remains on the seabed.
Dive
Everything you need to know about arranging a visit to the protected wreck site.
Discover
Explore underwater photography, video and discoveries from the Coronation.
The Coronation was a 90-gun 2nd Rate Ship of the Line, launched in 1685 by Master Shipwright Isaac Betts at Portsmouth. (Artistic representation)
THE STORY OF THE CORONATION
Lost in the storm of 1691
The Coronation was a 90-gun Second Rate Ship of the Line, launched at Portsmouth in 1685 and later serving under Admiral Russell.
On 3 September 1691, the Coronation was lost in a fierce storm while attempting to reach safety in Plymouth. Only around 20 men survived, while more than 600 were lost.
DIVE THE CORONATION
Explore it. Respect it. Protect it.
The Coronation is a protected wreck site and can only be dived with permission.
Divers are welcomed to experience the site, but a strict no-take policy applies — nothing, including artefacts or marine life, may be removed from either wreck area.
Whether you are visiting with a club, your own boat or as an individual diver, the project can help you plan your visit.
Beneath The Surface
Explore the Coronation
Discover photographs and video from the wreck sites, from historic cannon and anchors to the remarkable marine life that now surrounds them.
Dived the Coronation? We welcome photographs and video from visiting divers.
GET INVOLVED
Help us tell the Coronation's story
Have you dived the Coronation? Photographs, observations, memories and information about finds can all help build a better understanding of the wreck. It’s an opportunity to enjoy diving with a purpose and contribute to the continuing story of the site.