The range and quality of marine historic assets surviving within the area is outstanding, being the largest relatively accessible concentration of warship wrecks and associated features in the UK, and possibly in European waters. These assets make a significant contribution to our understanding about the role Scapa Flow played as a naval base of outstanding strategic significance to the United Kingdom during both World Wars of the 20th Century, and significant events in wartime naval history that took place there.
The wrecked remains of auxiliary vessels are particularly representative examples of the important role of the merchant marine in supporting the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. The last remaining substantially intact wrecks of the scuttled High Seas Fleet retain structural, technical and other characteristics that allow an insight into the design and operation of German naval ships during the First World War. The widespread debris fields of wreckage left behind by the historic salvage of the High Seas Fleet also preserve information about the ships while helping us to understand the industrial scale of the salvage effort and to study its impact on the wrecks. The remains of blockships, fixed barriers, vessel protection pontoons and boom defences provide an important insight into the Admiralty's evolving strategies for defending Scapa Flow.
Our understanding is enhanced by the rich body of information about wartime naval history and the role of Scapa Flow, in the form of documents, ships plans, film, photographs in archives, and artefacts in museums. Nonetheless, many of the sites are extremely rare. Sites along the coast and underwater have become important features of the landscape, contributing to the wider environment and providing an important reminder of Orkney's major contribution to the national war effort. The loss of marine historic assets would significantly hinder our ability to understand these events and the key role played by Scapa Flow during two world wars.
The marine historic assets are directly associated with internationally significant events that took place in Scapa Flow, such as the internment and scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet, the largest intentional sinking of a naval fleet. The salvage of the fleet remains one of the greatest marine salvage events ever undertaken. These events resonate with the public and are part of the national consciousness, being promoted widely through museums and digital media.
The marine historic assets are located within an area that is an important economic marine resource and many of the wrecks are very popular for recreational diving. It is expected that designation will help to promote their cultural significance and ensure that the area's preservation objectives are considered in the management of change through planning and other regulatory processes, while also fostering understanding and enjoyment amongst sea users.
Intrinsic characteristics
The remains of wrecked vessels, built structures, and scattered debris fields of artefacts within the area fall under the following thematic groups – Royal Navy support, German navy, and marine defences. Where there are multiple assets within these groups, they are described in chronological order (for wrecked vessels this is using the date of sinking).
Royal Navy support
The wrecks of HMS Strathgarry, SS Prudentia, and HMD Chance are surviving examples of auxiliary vessels requisitioned from merchant naval duty to service the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet while at station in Scapa Flow during the First World War.
The substantially intact remains of HMS Strathgarry (34m in length), lies on her side in Hoxa Sound (NRHE ID 102243). Divers observed deck timbers, a wheelhouse structure, binnacle and wheel on the wreck (Wessex Archaeology 2012a). Of particular technological interest in understanding the operation of the boom defences are the survival of coiled cable and four large winches. Originally an Aberdeen-built (1906) steel steam trawler, Strathgarry was requisitioned by the Admiralty in June 1915. She was assigned to operate the gate in the boom defences in Hoxa Sound but sank following collision with HMS Monarch in Hoxa Sound on 6 July 1915.
The wreck of Prudentia (95m in length) lies on her side 1km west-north-west of Flotta Oil Terminal (NRHE ID 102254; Anderson, 2016). Built in Newcastle in 1889, at the time of her loss, Prudentia had been requisitioned as an Admiralty oiler, supplying fuel to the fleet, before sinking following a collision with SS Hermione on 12 January 1916. The wreck survives structurally intact and has not been subjected to salvage activity. A diver inspection identified visible loose artefacts (e.g domestic items and navigational equipment) and structures such as gantries that illustrate her role as an oiler. There is a debris field, mostly of coal, on the seabed, deck-side.
The broken up remains (NRHE ID 361481) of a drifter (a type of fishing vessel), probably HMD Chance (WK 270), lie a short distance from the wreck of SS Prudentia (Sula Diving 2016). Chance was lost in Scapa Flow 26 January 1916 (14 days after the Prudentia). Although most of the vessel's timbers have rotted away, metal features survive such as the engine, the ship's wheel (eroded but in place), pressure gauges, sighting gauges, lamp housings, a capstan winch, anchor and other miscellaneous wreckage. Discovery of a funnel with markings supports identification of the wreck as the Chance. Piles of cable overlying the wreck add to the interest of this site as they are likely to be the remains of Second World War telecommunications cable used for ship-to-shore communications from mooring buoys nearby.
The relatively high degree of survival of Prudentia, Chance and Strathgarry mean that they are of archaeological, historic and technological interest in improving our understanding of ships and boats, in particular the adaptation of merchant vessels requisitioned for wartime use and the role they played in supporting the Grand Fleet while at Scapa Flow during the First World War.
German navy
The wreck of UB-116 is the only example of a First World War submarine lost within Scapa Flow (NRHE ID 102250). A UB-III class submarine, UB-116 entered service in 1918 and completed only four patrols before the loss in Hoxa Sound in October 1918. Although salvage has impacted the degree of survival of UB-116, key identifiable features survive such as the conning tower - this is separated from the main wreck structure. Survival of such features means that this site can enhance our understanding of the threat posed by German submarines to the naval anchorage of Scapa Flow.
As a condition of the Armistice in 1918, 74 vessels of the German Imperial Navy's High Seas Fleet were disarmed and interned in Scapa Flow until a peace treaty could be agreed. The interned fleet amounted to 24 capital ships (a navy's most important warships) comprising eleven battleships ('linienschiffe'), five large cruisers ('große kreuzer'), six light cruisers and two fast minelaying cruisers ('kleine kreuzer'), and 50 smaller vessels of various classes ('torpedoboot' and 'große torpedoboot'), referred to here as torpedo boats. On hearing the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Admiral von Reuter (commanding officer of the interned fleet) believed that no German ships should fall into enemy hands (Hewison, 2005: 126). On 21 June 1919, he ordered the scuttling of the entire fleet while the Royal Navy's ships under Admiral Fremantle were on exercise away from Scapa Flow. The battleship Friedrich der Große, was the first to sink. By late afternoon up to 51 more ships had sunk to the seabed; through the intervention of Admiralty Port Officers, the rest were either beached before they sank, or they sank in very shallow water.
Only seven of the wrecked capital ships proved too deep to salvage economically in one piece during the major programme of salvage works that took place in Scapa Flow during the years 1919-1939, and 1956 to the late 1970s. The wrecks of three König-class battleships König (NRHE ID 102305), Kronprinz Wilhelm (NRHE ID 102311) and Markgraf (NRHE ID 102310), each about 175 metres long, lie upside down to the north east of the island of Cava, their superstructure impacted into the seabed. The three battleship wrecks are examples of the most battle-proven class of German battleships of their time, the pinnacle of German naval development at the dawn of the First World War (Staff 2010). These wrecks are designated as a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (SM9298)
The wrecks of three light cruisers and one mine-laying cruiser ranging from 142-155m in length lie on their sides: Cöln, Brummer and Dresden to the northeast of Cava island; Karlsruhe to the west. These wrecks are surrounded by a tightly-confined debris field. The Brummer was a mine-laying cruiser of the Brummer Class (NRHE ID 102314) ; the Cöln class vessels (Cöln and Dresden) were slightly larger and faster redevelopments of the Königsberg class of light cruisers of which Karlsruhe is an example (NRHE ID 102307). The final class of light cruisers to be built during the war, Cöln (NRHE ID 102315) and Dresden (NRHE ID 102301) demonstrate Germany's continued interest in building surface warships after Jutland. These wrecks are designated as a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (SM9308).
All seven of the wrecked capital ships retain significant structural survival and illustrate early 20th century German naval architecture. The hulls have however been impacted by extensive salvage during the 1960s/70s. This is evident from gaping holes into the structures around the engine rooms for the purpose of salvaging valuable non-ferrous components (e.g condensers), and from removal of armoured hull plating. Ongoing deterioration in the structural integrity of the hulls has been observed since 2001, for example, in the Brummer, sections of the deck are peeling away from the hull. However, artefacts recovered in 2012 from within the compartments of Markgraf, and recovery in September 2003 of several hundred postcards from a forward compartment of Karlsruhe (Clydesdale 2007) provide evidence for the range of ship's equipment and personal effects that still exist within the wrecks, confirming that these wrecks are not merely ferrous skeletons, but can significantly enhance our understanding of the equipment of German First World War capital ships, and life on board for German sailors after disarmament in 1918, and throughout the period of internment in Scapa Flow. The relative accessibility of the sites means that they are also ideal candidates for long-term study of site formation processes and corrosion of metal wrecks (McCartney 2019).
The wrecks of the S54, V83 and S36 represent substantially surviving and securely identified examples of the 50 smaller vessels. The wreck of the S54 is noteworthy due to the rare survival of the turbines (NRHE ID 102296; McCartney 2019; 292). The best preserved of the wrecked smaller vessels is the V83, a V67 class torpedo boat (the largest class of ships of this type in the High Seas Fleet). Only partially salvaged, the general outline of the lower section of V83 survives to almost the vessel's fully length, in shallow water, bow to shore, on the east side of Rysa Little (NRHE ID 102284). Key visible features include a 4.1in deck gun and remains of the propulsion system. This site is overlain by the remains of the salvage vessel Energy (NRHE ID 102987), which sank while in use by salvor Peter Kerr, a foreman diver with the renowned salvage firm of Cox & Danks, during the salvage of V83 in 1925.
The pioneering salvage techniques deployed in Scapa Flow by Ernest Cox and Thomas McKenzie involved use of floating docks, winches and steel wires/chains to lift the hulks of the smaller vessels, prior to pumping out. The majority of larger vessels, most of which lay upside down on the seabed, were sealed and pumped with air to raise them to the surface. In many cases turrets, masts, funnels and other superstructure was blown off using explosives, or crushed into the hull to prevent snagging on the seabed during towage. Vessels were towed to breaking facilities at Lyness where some were dismantled completely; others were towed south to Rosyth or Faslane.
Surveys confirm seabed remains at 'primary salvage sites' north and west of Cava – the locations where the original lifts took place. The remains comprise discernible seabed depressions left behind after each of the large vessels was lifted, where scattered debris is located, much of it from the ships' superstructure. Key features include four 15-inch gun turrets that broke free from the hull of the battleship Bayern during the first lift in July 1923 'a unique example of Germany's attempt to build powerful battleships comparable to Britain's Queen Elizabeth Class' and an 'impressive spectacle' (NRHE ID 102166; McCartney 2019: 114). There are also sections of coherent deck superstructure and equipment such as search lights, masts, spotting tops, the remains of pinnaces. splinter-proof control rooms, and davits. Further material is likely to be buried. As many of these features are not visible on the intact wrecks (either because they will be buried under upturned hulls or because they have generally been removed from the cruiser wrecks), the sites where these remain are located, retain potential to enhance our understanding about the High Seas Fleet.
The primary salvage sites for Moltke, Seydlitz, Derfflinger, and Von Der Tann preserve fragmentary but rare surviving evidence of the large cruisers of the High Seas Fleet, vessels designed for reconnaissance and combat (Staff 2014). Across the salvage sites, there are important surviving features such as ships' pinnaces which have not been identified on the intact wrecks and which therefore enhance our knowledge about the German High Seas Fleet as a whole. These remains are also particularly instructive in enhancing our understanding of how the salvage of the capital ships took place. In the case of the Hindenburg, this is clear from two sections of a torpedo boat filled with 600 tons of concrete (NRHE ID 102295). These were used by Cox & Danks during lifting operations to cushion the stern of the upright Hindenburg, to prevent her from listing. At the primary salvage site of Seydlitz, the remains of concrete-filled boilers and a salvage barge are interspersed with blasted cruiser wreckage (NRHE ID 102287).
Surveys have identified debris of identifiable material leading from the primary salvage sites towards shallow water on the west coast of Cava, and off the coast of Rysa Little where Cox & Danks, and Metal Industries respectively undertook further breaking work to remove underhanging superstructure before the hulks were eventually towed to the breakers (Henry et al 2017; Heath and Thompson 2019; McCartney 2019). Substantial features survive on the east coast of Rysa Little including sections of deck cabin structure, search light platforms including one complete with two searchlight controllers, derricks, a crow's nest, samson posts, and an 8.8cm L/45 German naval gun. Such features add to evidence we have for different classes of vessel and individual ships such as the SMS Grosser Kurfürst (NRHE ID 377696).
Related remains lying outside the proposed boundary of the protected area have been identified through survey work (but not included in the designation). There is relatively limited survival of debris at the salvage site of the torpedo boat V78 on the north coast of the island of Fara (NRHE ID 226041), isolated objects such as anchors within Gutter Sound where the torpedo boat fleet was anchored at internment, a section of unidentified torpedo boat hull in Mill Bay, and extensive areas of scrap on the seabed around the Lyness breaking facilities. These remains are generally considered to have relatively low research potential, on account of the degree of survival, and the challenge in identifying the material to particular vessels or classes of vessel. Furthermore, remains of the High Seas Fleet can be traced beyond Orkney waters as vessels were occasionally lost on route to the breakers, for example the site of the V71 torpedo boat off the Caithness coastline.
Marine defences
In order to defend Scapa Flow, the Admiralty acquired over 50,000 gross tons of redundant merchant ships which were sunk in five channels in 1914-15 (Stell, 2010:84) to prevent passage by enemy craft. A further 19 blockships (some 70,000 tons) were added during the Second World War (Hewison, 2005: 242). The blockship complexes survive to a substantial degree. However, the condition and degree of survival of individual vessels is variable as a result of historic salvage and clearance activities, and natural deterioration. These factors mean that the blockships are generally of limited archaeological, scientific, or technological interest in improving our understanding of ships and boats. Their key interest relates to the secondary use by the Admiralty as a defensive naval tactic for preventing passage by sea through the narrow channels into Scapa Flow.
Four complexes of blockships are located adjacent to the Churchill barriers at the east side of Scapa Flow. Those on the west side of the barriers tend to be more intact (e.g the First World War blockships SS Thames (NRHE ID 102369) and SS Minieh in Kirk Sound (NRHE ID 102368), and Second World War blockships Empire Seaman (NRHE ID 102182) and Martis in East Weddell Sound (NRHE ID 102355); blockships on the east side of the barriers are generally well broken up, due in part to storm impacts.
From north to south, there are three wrecks within Kirk Sound on the west side of the barrier. Of these, the wreck of Numidian was moved in 1920 to re-open Kirk Sound to fishing (NRHE ID 102170). At the same time, the blockship Aorangi was re-located to its current position 1.9km to the east (NRHE ID 102367). Within Skerry Sound, there is one wreck to the west of the barrier, and remains of nine wrecks close in on the barrier's east side. A further blockship, Clio II, lies 1.1km to the east. where the wreck drifted after the firing charge failed during scuttling on 27 February 1915 (NRHE ID 346825).There are four blockships in East Weddel Sound, and five largely buried within sands that have built up on the east side of Churchill Barrier 4 (Water Sound). Fragments of other blockships are also likely to be buried into the Churchill barriers.
A fifth group comprising up to ten fully submerged blockships, including examples from both wars, lie in Burra Sound (at the west of Scapa Flow), between Hoy and Graemsay. Burra Sound is an area of fast tidal currents and the blockships vary in survival (Wessex Archaeology 2012a: 15-32) from relatively intact wrecks such as the Second World War blockship Tabarka (NRHE ID 102329); to well broken-up remains such as the First World War blockship Urmstone Grange (NRHE ID 102321).
The site of the Clestrain Hurdles across Clestrain Sound (NRHE ID 102324) is of technical interest in enhancing our understanding of the marine defences of Scapa Flow. This structure was built around 1917 by the renowned London engineering firm Topham Jones and Railton (Stell, 2010; 84-87) and consisted of a fixed barrier of bolted steel rails 30ft wide, and up to 70ft high in places. Geophysical surveys (Christie et al., 2014) indicate that the Clestrain Hurdles survive as an upstanding structure extending c.1km across Clestrain Sound, oriented east-north-east to west-south-west. The surviving height of the structure above the seabed varies between 1.5-5m. It is notable that the hurdles have survived at all given that the hindrance they posed to navigation in peacetime resulted in clearance activities by the 1920s.
The Admiralty also tested ingenious vessel protection systems in Scapa Flow. Anti-Torpedo Close Protection Pontoons (ATCPPs) were used for only a short period March 1941-April 1942 to act as close protection for vessels in Scapa Flow from the threat of aircraft launched torpedoes (Christie et al 2015). Surveys confirmed presence of at least two pontoons of an apparently standardised design on the seabed at the north-eastern tip of the island of Flotta, and three other structures which are likely also to be ATCPPs (NRHE IDs 102201; 377940; 377935). The two confirmed pontoons are intact, including key features of the asset type (Christie et al., 2015) while an intertidal site between Roan Head and the Calf of Flotta is also largely intact (NRHE ID 249683). Mobile boom defences were also deployed to protect the fleet, according to the 'Munro' model. The presence of boom buoys and netting at this site adds interest although it is unclear if the boom buoys formed part of the defensive pontoon system. These remains are of technological interest and offer potential to investigate the marine defensive network of Scapa Flow and how mobile pontoons were used as an experimental device to defend ships against airborne torpedoes.
Contextual characteristics
Scapa Flow is a relatively shallow inland sea (around 310 km² in area), almost totally encircled by islands that provide shelter from the Atlantic and the North Sea. The advantages to mariners of the natural anchorage afforded by Scapa Flow's sheltered waters have long been recognised and these factors, together with Orkney's strategic position in Britain's coastal defences led to Scapa Flow being chosen as the war station for the British Grand Fleet during the First World War. As the major military and naval threat moved northwards in the early 20th century (ie Germany) its importance became clear. Admiral Jellicoe claimed, 'for whoever controls it commands the North Sea with easy access to either side of the British Isles and the wide oceans of the world beyond' (Hewison, 2005: 1).
The location of assets within Scapa Flow helps us to understand the naval wartime landscape. The main fleet anchorage was located east of the island of Cava and north of the island of Flotta in the large expanse of open water at the centre of Scapa Flow. The wreck of SS Prudentia,Chance is located close to this, in an area north of Flotta that was used for fleet refuelling operations during wartime. Also located within the main naval anchorage are the wrecks of the battleships HMS Vanguard, exploded at anchor on 9 July 1917 with the loss of over 800 men, and HMS Royal Oak, torpedoed early in the morning of 14 October 1939, with the loss of 834 men. Both these wrecks are separately designated as controlled sites under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
The network of marine defences established to protect the fleet during the First World War and further developed during the Second World War is depicted in a series of Admiralty plans and charts from 1915-1943. These maps are reflected in the surviving remains. Strathgarry lies in the middle of Hoxa Sound, the primary fleet entrance into Scapa Flow, where the vessel was operating boom defences in 1915. The complexes of blockships at Burra Sound (at the west side of Scapa Flow), and those in the four channels at the east of Scapa Flow, prevented enemy incursion through narrow channels between the islands. The blockships formed an important component of a wider network which extends on land, including coastal batteries, barriers and camps. For example the blockships across Kirk Sound are overlooked by Holm Battery and Lamb Holm settlement and lie directly adjacent to the Churchill barrier that was installed to replace the blockship defences after the sinking of the HMS Royal Oak by U-47. The Churchill Barriers across East Weddell and Water Sounds are designated as listed buildings (LB 52393; LB52417).
As the Churchill Barrier blockships survive both above and below water, they represent a highly visible aspect of the wartime coastal landscape. The setting of the blockships has changed to a certain extent since wartime. In particular construction of the Churchill Barriers created a land link between mainland Orkney and the island chain along the east of Scapa Flow as far as South Ronaldsay. The blocking up of the channels led to changes in the tidal currents. This appears to have led to significant accretion of sand, particularly evident at the barriers across East Weddel Sound and Water Sound.
A fixed defensive barrier was required for the faster currents in Clestrain Sound at the west of Scapa Flow. During the First World War, the Clestrain Hurdles preformed this function in conjunction with a guardship (HMS Hannibal then HMS Crescent) anchored in Clestrain Sound. A coastal battery at Upper Sower (scheduled monument SM13449) provided artillery cover over the Sound.
At Flotta, the remains of the Anti-Torpedo Close Protection Pontoons (ATCPPs) lie where historic charts (UKHO 1940) show up to 18 moorings close to the main fleet anchorage in Scapa Flow. Researchers believe that the ATCPPs may have been moored here when they were not deployed to protect ships in Scapa Flow. The identification of boom nets and buoys overlying this site is notable. If they did not form part of the defensive pontoon system, their presence might be as a result of storing or dumping of surplus boom defence materials at this location.
The surviving wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet and the remains at the primary salvage sites provide evidence of where the ships of the High Seas Fleet were stationed following internment in Scapa Flow in November 1918 and at the time Admiral von Reuter gave the order to scuttle the fleet. The 24 capital vessels lay at anchor or were moored around the island of Cava. SMS Bremse was anchored on the north side of Scapa Flow at the mouth of Swanbister Bay. During the scuttling, an attempt was made to save Bremse by towing north towards shore where she sank (NRHE ID 226344). The remains of V83 is located close to where the smaller vessels were located, in pairs and anchored in two parallel lines at various locations between Hoy and the island of Fara (Van der Vat, 2007:132).
The scattered remains of wreck superstructure identified in debris trails and secondary salvage sites helps us to understand the salvage process. For example, following the raising of SMS Derfflinger in 1939, initial blasting by Metal Industries took place at the primary salvage site (NRHE ID 102280) before the hulk was moved, first to the east side of Rysa Little and then to the west side of Rysa Little where further salvage took place and debris survives (NRHE ID 377480). The hulk remained there until 1946, when Derfflinger was towed to Lyness then onwards for breaking at Faslane on the Clyde. The location of the S36 and S54 are a consequence of the salvage operations: S54 broke her tow in Hoxa Sound on route to the breakers yard before she was eventually salvaged in-situ by Cox & Danks. S36 was towed to the west coast of Cava in 1925 and sunk in shallow water with the specific intention of using the hull as an anchor in the planned salvage of SMS Hindenberg in 1926.
Many of the marine historic assets within the area represent very rare survivals. Prudentia appears to represent a rare survival of a First World War Admiralty oiler, in such an intact state.
Of the marine defences, the Clestrain Hurdles is thought likely to have been the only structure of its kind erected in Scottish or possibly British home waters during wartime (Stell 2010. 84-87). The Scapa Flow blockship complex as a whole represents arguably the best surviving complex of wartime blockship remains in N. Europe. As blockships were often used in busy harbours which needed to be re-opened after war ended, other UK examples (e,g Dover harbour) have been removed: around 100,000 tons