Investigations of the Huis te Warmelo
In 2002 a wreck was found west of the island of Hogland, off the Finnish south coast by Finnish Maritime Administration during hydrographical surveys. It turned out to be a very well preserved wreck of a warship, probably from the 18th century. Since 2006 different sports divers have visited the wreck. But the origin of the wreck remained unknown. Was it a Swedish, Russian or maybe a Dutch ship?
Identifying the wreck
In 2014, SubZone, a Finnish survey company with a special interest in archaeological research, measured and documented the wreck through video recording. During this survey they measured the cannons and made some other basic observations. These observations turned out to be crucial for the identification of the wreck.
Through different contacts the information landed with Dutch historian Peter Swart who is specialized in the history of the West Frisian Admiralty. He found a sea map in the Maritime Museum of Rotterdam that was drawn by mapmaker Abraham Maas and dated between 1716-1726. On this map there was a cross written on the spot where this wreck was found. It also included a note ‘Hier is het Noord-Hollands oorlogsschip op gebleven 1715’ , translation: Here the North Holland warship was left/wrecked.
In this year the admiralty of West Frisia (North Holland) lost only one ship in the Baltics, the 125 feet long frigate named ‘Huis te Warmelo’. The information collected by SubZone matched the information known from this ship, therefore we can state that almost certainly this well preserved warschip is indeed the Huis te Warmelo.
Since the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) manages Dutch shipwrecks owned by the state (those of VOC, WIC and Admirality), its maritime department was contacted to inform them about the discovery and to discuss further actions. A cooperation agreement between the RCE, National Board of Antiquities and SubZone was made, also including historian Peter Swart, archaeologist Michiel Bartels and the municipality of Medemblik to cooperate in the research of the wreck site.
Current research
In 2016 and 2017, documentation of the shipwreck was started. Maritime archaeological surveys were undertaken to confirm the identification of shipwreck Huys te Warmelo and to compile the proper documentation of the site using only non-destructive methods like filming and photographing. A photographic 3D image was made of the entire outside of the shipwreck. In 2018, a protection zone around the wreck was created under the Finnish Antiquities Act. The diameter of the protection zone for the Huis te Warmelo wreck is 800 metres. In the protection zone it is forbidden without the permission by Finnish Heritage Agency to dive, anchor, fish with gears used near the seabed, do any kind of construction work or do any activity which disturbs the seabed. With this measure an important step has been taken to protect the wreck of the Huis in Warmelo. In 2022, it is aimed to get a photographic 3D image of the inside of the wreck, to obtain sediment samples as well as wooden samples from the wreck site and to get sub-bottom profiling data on the shipwreck.
More information about the historical research on the wreck by the municipality of Medemblik and historian Peter Swart can be found at the website fregathuistewarmelo.nl