The Mapping Museum research project was created to look at the increase in the number of museums in the UK. As part of this project, Peter Marsden was interviewed about the Shipwreck Museum.

Explore more about the Mapping Museum project here and read Marsden's interview below:

Interview summary

Name of person being interviewed: Peter Marsden

Location of interview: The Devon and Exeter Institution

Date of Recording: 15 March 2019

Recording Length: 01:10:01

Name of interviewer: Dr Toby Butler

Description: The Shipwreck Museum in Hastings is run by the Nautical Museum Trust, which owns major wreck sites in the area from 1690 to the nineteenth century; displays include objects, timbers and even human remains found at these wreck sites, along with smaller vessels including a barge from Rye and a medieval Thames barge.

Summary of main points in interview: Dr Peter Marsden is the founder of the museum, chair of the Nautical Museums Trust and was a professional archaeologist working at the Museum of London when the museum was established. He worked on shipwrecks in the Thames and found that museums in London were reluctant to conserve and display whole wrecks.

Peter formed a group of trustees which included Cranley Onslow MP, who had an interest in the legal protection of wrecks. It took three years to find a potential site at Bodiam, the site of a Roman port, but then accepted an offer from Hastings Council of a building along with £30,000 of funding. Hastings had two interesting wrecks nearby, including the best-preserved East India Company ship in the world. He discusses the conversion of the original building from stables.

Marsden says he would like to see the broader story of the English Channel, the changing coastline, and the international aspects of trade and warfare feature more in the museum displays. He discusses the issue of treasure-hunting, human remains in wrecks, and the array of relevant legislation.

TRANSCRIPT ONLY; NO AUDIO FILE PROVIDED