South Shields, Denmark Street, supposed Viking boat

HER Number:
943

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
South Shields, Denmark Street, supposed Viking boat

Place:
South Shields

Map Sheet:
NZ36NE

Class:
Transport

Site Type: Broad:
Water Craft

Site Type: Specific:
Boat

General Period:
Unknown

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
There have been two reports of the remains of boats being seen in the centre of South Shields. If true, it could be the same boat. 1.) In 1903 Hodgson, quoting the Monthly Chronicle of 1890, wrote that some 60 years before "the blackened remains of a large vessel", embedded in sea sand mixed with shells, had been found at considerable depth in the old river channel between Mill Dam and Marine Park. 2.) There is a handed-down, oral, report that, when a sewer was being laid in Denmark Street in the early 20th century, a Viking boat was found c. 15 feet down. The Ordnance Survey reports oral information from Mr. Swan (sometime librarian at South Shields) in 1952 reporting the find to have been made in between Denmark Street and Catherine Street. There is no supporting evidence.

Easting:
366

Northing:
672

Grid Reference:
NZ366672

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 943 >> Desc Text Monthly Chronicle, 1890, Vol. 10, June, p. 277 G.B. Hodgson, 1903, The Borough of South Shields, p. 2 C. O'Brien & R. Miket, 1982, A Viking Boat in Denmark Street - An Assessment of the Reports, pp. 1-3 Ordnance Survey archaeological record cards, JHO, 1952, Possible remains of canoe Gazette, 1982, Dig Urged to find Shields Viking Ship, 8 June, p. 11 Gazette, M. Nicholls, 1982 Digging into the past... 18 June, p. 12 Tyne and Wear Museums,1992, Don Valley Survey, p 9