Name Mewstone Astrolabe
Latitude 50° 18.485 N
Longitude 004° 06.255 W
Depth 10m
Accuracy 100m
Object Class Tools and Equipment
Object Type Astrolabe
Material Metal : Copper Alloy
Description Astrolabe
Collect Method Recovered
Diameter 177mm
Height Crown 11mm, base 23mm
Weight 2.495kg
Marks None
Museum Name National Maritime Museum

Mewstone Astrolabe (70A01)

The Mariner's Astrolabe

'The astrolabe is wedge shaped in cross section to provide additional ballast to the base. The astrolabe was recoverd from twenty feet of water in Wembury Bay, Plymouth in 1970. The astrolabe has been on loan to the National Maritime Museum by mr W. T. Jenkin.'

Dive South Devon p182

'...an extrordinary find was made here by Wilf Jenkin of Plymouth Sound BSAC. Among the sea growth in one gully he found a bronze astrolabe, one of the early instruments used in navigation. His discovery of this ring of brass was only the 25th astrolabe known to exist in the world today. Experts dated the find to the first quarter of the 17th century. If there is a navigation instrument, where is the wreck? A good question, but despite extensive searches of thousands of square yards by Plymouth Sound BSAC, nothing else has been found.'

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Images

 

Mewstone Astrolabe

References

McDonald K., 1987, Dive South Devon, Underwater World Publications, ISBN 0 946020 11 6

Anderson R., 1972, The Mariner's Astrolabe, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh