Why are only sites and features around The Needles, Isle of Wight, featured on the map?

The project study area covered this area of the coast, which included a 2.5 km search area based on The Needles. This is a particularly rich area of maritime finds and sites, including shipwrecks and historic structures that was selected as a good pilot study for testing data integration with the Unpath'd Waters aims of creating a national colection of maritime data at the regional and local scale.

Is the database that the viewer draws on still being added to or changed?

Yes, we are making further entries to the database and attaching more information, documents, links and images. These will appear in the viewer after each update throughout the life of the project and beyond.

How frequently will the database and viewer be updated?

We will be adding new information or making amendments to the database on an almost daily basis until 2024. Subsequent updates will continue to be published as the core database will continue to be maintained as part of wider MAT research.

Are you able to accept new information or photographs of Needles sites, wrecks and views that feature in the database/viewer?

Yes! If a site is within the search area then we are happy to add new information, photographs, video etc to the records. We cannot accept information or photographs for sites outside of this area, but they may be useful to other research and projects. We can only accept photographs which you are able to provide permission for use or are of an age that copyright is expired. To submit information, photographs etc then please email us on:

As a volunteer I found information on a vessel that isn't showing in the viewer, why?

Thanks to the amazing work of our volunteers who spent many hours researching the sites online we have been able to populate many fields in the database. Alongside the online research other volunteers were researching documents in The National Archives or other maritime archives, sometimes these sources provide different information than online sources. If we are not sure of the accuracy of an entry or feel it needs further work to double check then, for now, we have not included this in publicly available information.

I have spotted a mistake in the data, what should I do?

If you have found something that might be inaccurate then please do let us know! Please email us on:

If you can let us know the site, the field that you think needs changing and a reference to show your source that would be great. We will endeavour to make any updates in our monthly update routine.

How can I support the Maritime Archaeology Trust?

We are a charity and rely on the kind support of volunteers and donors. We also have a Friends of the Trust organisation - to find out more and to join please visit Friends of the Trust