In 1998 workmen at Hanson’s Quarry at Shardlow spotted what appeared to be a hollowed-out tree trunk with stone inside. Archaeologist Dr Chris Salisbury (1929 - 2004), who kept a watching brief on the quarries, and was on hand whenever the staff found something unusual, identified it as an ancient logboat. Archaeologists then worked quickly, recording the position of the boat and all nearby features with photographs and plans, and searching for pieces of the boat which had been accidentally damaged by the quarry machinery before its importance was realised.

The logboat, at over 10 metres in length, was too long and heavy to be removed in one piece, so it was decided to cut it into smaller sections. The boat was kept damp until all the sections could be lifted out of the gravel layers and stored in underwater tanks to stop the fragile and degraded materials from shrinking and collapsing as they dried out. Conservators from York Archaeological Trust studied the boat to see what condition the wood was in, and proposed a lengthy process of cleaning, consolidation, drying and reconstruction.

Cleaning was carried out with the gentle use of a power hose to remove the sand and gravel. For 18 months the sections were immersed in two solutions of a water-soluble wax-like polymer, poly-ethylene glycol, a liquid grade to penetrate the harder, better preserved parts of the wood, and a solid grade that would partly consolidate the softer, more degraded areas. The sections were loaded into a large freeze-drier unit to remove the remaining water, which took about 10 weeks to complete. Once treated and dry, and with all the pieces re-assembled, the sections were brought back to the Museum and put on display.

Although logboats have been found in other parts of Britain, this was the first one to be found with what seemed to be its cargo. Its cargo of Bromsgrove sandstone, which is found a few kilometres upstream at Kings Mills, is believed to have been ferried to the site to strengthen a causeway that crossed the ancient course of the River Trent or one of its side channels.

Dating things that are dug up on archaeological sites can be very difficult. In the past it was only possible to say that things buried deeper were older than the things above them. Today we have much more accurate scientific methods. Carbon 14 Dating has told us that the Hanson logboat is about 3500 years old.

The bacteria and fungi that are mainly responsible for destroying organic materials, like wood and leather, need oxygen from the air to live. If these materials become buried in permanently waterlogged ground they can become partially protected from decay. A wide flat river valley like the Trent, where the boat was found, has a high water table so conditions were right for preservation.

Another Bronze Age boat was found in Shardlow Quarry. It was not possible to remove it so it was carefully re-buried to preserve it for the future.

How was the logboat made?

1. Find a suitable tree and fell it - ideally close to a river.
2. Using axes and wedges make the first face flat and smooth.
3. Turn the log over to work other sides.
4. Smooth the other sides.
5. Using axes, adzes and wedges hollow the interior of the log; the centre or heart is often rotten so it can be removed.
6. Insert a transom board and make it watertight using moss and animal fat.
7. Carve the prow and move the boat to the river using rollers and ropes.
8. Float the boat and make adjustments to the weight and shape for balance.
9. Make poles, ropes and paddles, and maybe a mast and sail, to propel the boat.
10. Off you go...

Currently to be found in The Hanson Logboat Gallery at Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

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