Monument record SLY 066 - Post Medieval wreck to the north east of Crane's Creek, Shotley Parish.

The remains of a Post Medieval wreck are visible in the River Orwell, just to the north east of Crane's Creek at TM24753612. The wreck is circa 15m long and 4m wide, and is directly adjacent to the remains of a Post Medieval boat hard (see SLY 065). The wreck may also be associated with the complex of Post Medieval oyster pits immediately to the east (see SLY 064). It may be possible to see elements of the wreck in an aerial photograph from 1946 (S1), but it is not possible to distinguish its shape clearly from the saltmarsh. It is possible to clearly discern the wreck in photographs from 1966 (S2), 1973 (S3), and 1987 (S4), in which it is also possible to see the remains of the boat hard and oyster beds. The boat hard and oyster beds are marked on the 1st and 2nd edition Ordnance Survey Maps of 1884 and 1904 (S5, S6), and may be associated with each other. However, whilst the oyster beds are clearly visible on all photographs from 1944 onwards, the boat hard is only apparent on the same photographs as the wreck (S2, S3, S4). It seems reasonable therefore to ascribe a similar Post Medieval date to the wreck.