British Ship 'Thames' Unearthed 160 Years After Grounding

The trading ship, called the Thames, was built in 1826 and met its end right here while delivering telegraph poles to north Canterbury in 1865. This British ship, which ran aground 160 years ago, has been unearthed at the mouth of the Ashley River on the outskirts of Christchurch.

The discovery began in 2023 when a Canterbury Regional Council park ranger flagged the remains. Then, a Harbourmaster team identified it as a coastal hazard. Canterbury Heritage Consultants were brought in to figure out what ship it was.

The principal archaeologist, Nick Cable, said that the style of timber and the copper sheathing were important clues. Samples confirmed the timber was English oak and elm, which are classic British shipbuilding materials. That really helped confirm this wreck was the Thames. The ship was mostly salvaged after it ran aground.