Saving shipwrecks: HMS Invincible, East Solent

There are currently 57 nationally important shipwrecks in English waters, spanning the Bronze Age to the 20th century, designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 – including the remains of HMS Invincible (pictured here), a 74-gun warship that was wrecked in 1758 after hitting a sandbank in the East Solent. Now wreck sites are to be further safeguarded thanks to new guidance that has recently been launched by Historic England in partnership with the University of Plymouth’s School of Law, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The Common Enforcement Manual for Heritage Crime at Sea will cover any criminality directed towards maritime heritage in English waters, whether or not sites are