The dig

Rescue archaeology
A special team of marine archaeologists from the Archaeological Diving Unit (ADU) has invited Time Team along to see if some answers can be found about how this sunken time capsule came to be where it is – and whether it is, as the initial investigations would suggest, a Spanish Armada shipwreck dating from 1588. The unstable conditions on the seabed, on a coastline that is continuously battered by storms, mean that the surviving artefacts are in constant danger of being broken up or swept away. It is a 'classic case of rescue archaeology', according to ADU director Martin Dean.

Eric the ROV
One of the first tasks of Day One for Time Team's Phil Harding is to be introduced to Eric the ROV. 'Eric' is known more formally as a remotely operated vehicle and he has proved invaluable to the work of the ADU. 'The ROV is just like a mini submarine,' says Phil. 'It can be operated from the ship and pictures can be seen on a monitor. You don't even have to get wet.'

The ROV is just one aspect of what must be the most high-tech 'dig' Time Team has ever been involved with. As well as the teams of RAF divers, who are in constant activity throughout the three days, the ADU operates from a specially equipped vessel, the Scimitar. The ADU divers use special diving suits, with video cameras attached to their helmets and equipment enabling them communicate directly with the Scimitar. A sonar acoustics system is used to plot the coordinates of finds; underwater metal detectors are deployed in search of cannon and other metal objects; and a torpedo-shaped magnetometer called 'the fish' replicates the usual work of the 'geofizz' (geophysics).

Meanwhile, although he's dived before, Tony Robinson has to take a refresher course so that he can get down to the wreck in person. 'It's fine underwater because you are so buoyant, but once you get out you've got all the extra weight of the equipment,' says Tony. 'You really do feel like a fish out of water.'

Finds to the surface
By Day Two the finds are being brought to the surface. They include surprisingly well-preserved pieces of Italian Renaissance pottery, a complete intact Majolica wine ewer and a buckled and contorted piece of lead sheet, which would probably have been used to effect a running repair on a damaged ship. Pottery specialist Duncan Brown is very impressed: 'This all looks like 16th-century Mediterranean material, which puts the ship in the right period for the Armada.' Tony finally gets to join in with Time Team digger Katie Hirst, as they search a nearby kelp (seaweed) forest in an attempt to locate a rumoured lost cannon. The special marine magnetometer is also employed to help in the quest.

But bad weather is closing in and storms are forecast. Since each dive is limited to just 28 minutes – and everything takes far longer underwater than it would on the surface – the race is on to lift more finds from the seabed before the conditions make further diving impossible.

Diving called off
The third day sees only limited diving before it is finally called off altogether because of the bad weather. However, this does give the team a chance to have a good look at the material that has been discovered so far. Duncan Brown confirms the important nature of the finds. 'I've been astounded,' he says. 'This has got to be the best collection of Italian Renaissance pottery excavated from an archaeological context in this country. I'm sure I can safely say that.'

An amazing ceramic salt cellar is just one of the pieces of the quality you would expect to find on the tables of dukes and princes. Without a doubt, these were extremely high-status wares. So what would they have been doing on a ship that was part of the Armada invasion fleet?

The answer, according to the experts, is that they may have reflected the confidence of the Spanish nobility as they set sail for the invasion of England: they were taking with them the sort of items that they expected to use after a successful conquest. Alternatively, they may simply have belonged to a wealthy captain, who saw no reason why he shouldn't enjoy the same luxuries at sea as on land.

Was it the San Gabriel?
Whatever the explanation, the evidence points strongly to this being an Armada shipwreck. It was probably not a warship (the cannon seem too small and too few for that), but more likely a supply ship. There is even a previously unaccounted for ship that this might be – the supply vessel San Gabriel. It is unlikely that many of its crew survived its wreck on this inhospitable coast back in 1588, leaving it to archaeologists and historians to try to piece together the story of their final voyage from this time capsule at the bottom of the sea.