The Amsterdam at Bulverhythe

Step onto the shifting shoreline of Bulverhythe for a rare Heritage Open Day event that brings the extraordinary story of the Amsterdam—one of Europe’s most significant but least understood maritime heritage sites—vividly to life.
In 1749, 18 days into her maiden voyage, the Amsterdam sank into the clay-filled valley of a river that had been carved into local Cretaceous sandstone deposited about 135 million years ago. In the sandstone are preserved fossilised sand ripples left by the sea, footprints of dinosaurs and fossilised fish.
The remarkable geology at precisely this spot has protected and preserved this unique 18th century Dutch East Indiaman eight metres below the sand. As the tide recedes, the beach becomes an open-air museum.

Guides will share the ship’s dramatic final voyage, the global networks it sailed within, and the lives of the diverse crew and passengers who came ashore here in 1749. You’ll hear how the wreck has inspired decades of Anglo Dutch archaeological investigation, why it remains so fragile today, and how local communities are helping to protect it for the future.
A small group walking tour—limited numbers—will trace the landscape that shaped the ship’s fate revealing how land, sea, and human history intertwine.
There is also a Guide to the wreck site booklet for £3 donation. Cash only.
Beach access 17.00-20.00. Tour 18.30-20.00
Booking for assisted access and guided tour essential

Timings

Friday 11 September:

1700-2000: Open. Stewards on beach and routes. 1830-2000: Guided tour

Location & directions

Bridge Way, Bulverhythe, Hastings, East Sussex, TN38 8AP

Directions:

https://shipwreckmuseum.co.uk Beach may be accessed from West St Leonards, Glyne Gap, Bexhill, or via stepped access over railway at Bridge Way. Note that routes to the site are not easily accessible. There is no disabled access across the shingle. Parking to be advised. Bus and train details to follow.

Contact on day:

Margaret Sheehy

Telephone number:

+447968584823

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Booking for assisted access for beach and guided tour essential Visit Shipwreck Museum 11-20 September 1030-1700 every day. Free entry. Rock-a-Nore Rd, Hastings TN34 3DW

Booking contact name:

The Manager

Booking telephone number:

+441424437452

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking website:

https://shipwreckmuseum.co.uk

Booking opens:

01 Aug 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

07 Sep 2026 12:00 AM

Accessibility details

The site is not fully accessible. There is wheelchair access along hard standing pathway from Glyne Gap 10-20minutes but no accessible route to the ship location across the beach for physically disabled visitors. Even able-bodied will experience some difficulty. We will be working to ensure best support is in place. Visitors requiring any advice or assistance should contact the organisers. Parking, refreshments and toilets are some distance away. Advice to follow. Visitors should have suitable footwear (e.g. wellies) and protective clothing. In poor conditions the wreck may not be visible.

Additional information

The wreck of the ship is only visible at certain low tides. This will be the last occasion when it is visible in 2026. It is several hundred metres from a pathway over a stepped platform and shingle beach. Organisers will provide a narrative experience for those unable to reach the beach and the wreck site. Further details to follow.

Max number of people:

40

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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