Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites (ACHWS): Agendas, Minutes and Papers

FM 23

1973-2000

This series contains agendas, minutes and papers for meetings of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites held between 1974 and the end of 2000. This includes files regarding the designation of wreck sites for protection under the 1973 Protection of Wrecks Act, issuing of licenses for the examination and excavation of sites and other issues relating to underwater archaeology

The records are arranged in chronological order.

For the archived website of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites see FM 7

For the minutes and papers of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites from 1978-1980 and 2005-2007 see BT 243

COM 25

Public Record(s)

English

85 file(s)

Open unless otherwise stated

From 2022 Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England

Department of Trade and Industry (1974-1981); Department of Transport (1981-1991); Department of the Environment (1991-1992); Department of National Heritage (1992-1997); Department for Culture, Media and Sport (1997-2002)

Series is accruing

The Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites was established in 1973 to advise Government on the suitability of wreck sites to be designated for protection in accordance with the terms of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. It also advised on the issuing of licenses for the examination and excavation of designated sites and on general underwater archaeology issues affecting historic wrecks in UK waters. Membership was drawn from a range of interests: maritime history, archaeology, recreational diving, museums, conservation, marine law, inshore oceanography, the Police and the Receiver of Wreck. To reflect the committee's UK-wide remit, its meetings were also attended by heritage professionals from all four countries of the UK.

The committee was administered by the Department of Trade and Industry until 1981; by the Department of Transport between 1981 and 1991; by the Department of the Environment from 1991 to 1992; by the Department for National Heritage between 1992 and 1997 and by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport between 1997 and 2002 when responsibility was passed to English Heritage.

The committee was disbanded in 2011, with English Heritage assuming responsibility for advising government on heritage assets in UK territorial waters adjacent to England and the devolved administrations receiving their own advice on issues relating to their respective areas of UK territorial water.