The site of the Admiral Gardner is a designated area under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

This Act empowers the Government to designate by Order the site of what is, or may prove to be, the wreck of a vessel which it considers should be protected from unauthorised interference because of its historical, archaeological or artistic importance. Forty-five sites in UK waters are currently designated.

The Order identifies the site and the extent of the 'restricted area' in which certain activities are prohibited except under the authority of a licence issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Historic Scotland, Cadw (Welsh Historic Monument Executive Agency) or the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (DoE(NI)). These activities include "tampering with, damaging or removing any part of a wreck within the area indicated, or carrying out diving or salvage operations within the area or depositing anything (i.e. anchoring) on the seabed within the area without a special licence issued by the Secretary of State".

Designation

January 3, 1990; 1989 No. 3; 1989/2295; Original Designation Order (June 3, 1985; 1985 No. 1; 1985/699) revoked but the site re-designated as above.

Position

Goodwins Sands, Kent. An area within 150m radius of position 51° 12.00' N., 01° 30.56' E.. Chart affected: 1828.

Licences

1985 excavation, 1995-6 survey.

Site History

The site has been subject to commercial salvage and some archaeological investigation. References to the Admiral Gardner were contained in the report:

Redknap, M. & Fleming, M., 1985, The Goodwins archaeological survey : towards a regional marine site register in Britain.

More details about this procedure can be obtained by visiting Guide to Historic Wreck Sites, which is administered by the Archaeological Diving Unit, based at St Andrews University.