Shipwreck 'HMS Nottingham' from 1916 discovered 60 miles off the coast of Scotland

CapeTalk's Clarence Ford speaks to Barbara Friedman, about trending online stories.

Listen below: 

The wreck of HMS Nottingham, a Royal Navy Town-class light cruiser sunk during World War I, has been discovered 60 miles off the coast of Scotland at a depth of 82 metres.

The vessel was located by a team of ten technical divers led by ProjectXplore, an international initiative dedicated to finding historically significant shipwrecks around the UK.

HMS Nottingham was sunk on 19 August 1916 after being struck by three torpedoes fired by a German submarine.

38 crew members were killed in the attack. Remarkably, the ship’s captain, 20 officers, and 357 sailors were rescued by two Royal Navy destroyers.

For over a century, the ship’s final resting place remained unknown despite multiple search efforts. ProjectXplore began its investigation in September 2024, poring over historical records including ships' logs, telegrams, and naval charts. In April 2025, the team initially believed they had found a small, unrelated vessel but after further dives and analysis, they confirmed the historic discovery three months later.

The team said there was “no doubt” about the ship’s identity. The wreck’s dimensions, preserved equipment, and visible battle damage matched official reports.

Divers also recovered artifacts such as white dinner plates bearing the Royal Navy blue crown and the ship’s name, along with the embossed lettering "Nottingham" clearly visible on the stern.

Friedman says, people on social media are saying, "leave it as it is, leave it in its resting place."

"I find these things so interesting... it's always interesting to find a little bit of history revived after all this time."

- Barbara Friedman, Barb's Wire - CapeTalk

Watch the moment of discovery below:

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