HMS Somerset, Sign at Provincelands Cape Cod Seashore Visitor Center - Provincetown, MA
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 42° 04.420 W 070° 12.346
19T E 400255 N 4658658
The remains of the HMS Somerset, a British Sailing Navy Ship during the Seven Years and American Revolutionary Wars that ran aground in 1778, are buried in a beach east of this location, but there is a sign here and relics at the Pilgrim Monument.
Waymark Code: WMFFPK
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 10/12/2012
Views: 9
In Provincetown, at the Cape Cod National Seashore's Provincelands Visitor Center, is an observation platform at the top of the building, with a historical sign dedicated to the HMS Somerset, which the sign says ran aground on a sand bar off the Cape about three miles away. At the site itself, you won't see anything - it is buried under sand. The observatory at the visitor center has a detailed historical sign and a view of the general area. The Pilgrim Monument in the center of Provincetown has artifacts from the wreck, including a cannon.
The History of the HMS Somerset
The HMS Somerset that is the focus of this waymark was a third rate Ship-of-the-Line, the third ship to carry that name for the British Royal Navy. It was launched in 7/18/1748 at Chatham Dockyard (UK). It had 70 guns. The length was 160 ft, the width was 45 ft, and the depth was 19 ft.
The ship saw action in the Seven Years War/French and Indian War. In particular, it was part of an expedition to take Quebec City, which eventually led to the transfer of Canada to the British Empire. It also played an important part in the American Revolutionary War. It was one of the ships that was part of the occupation of Boston just before the war. The ship is immortalized in the poem, 'The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,' by Longfellow, as the ship that Paul Revere had to row by to land on the Charlestown shore, hop on a horse and warn the countryside. The Sommerset was present during the Battle of Bunker Hill and in a campaign to take forts on the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. However, in August 1778, the ship encountered a gale storm and was battered. In November, 1778, while pursuing a French squadron, she ran aground on Peaked Hill Bars off the coast. The wreck eventually ended up on the beach in Provincetown, near Truro. Twenty members of the crew died in the wreck. The people of the area gave them a hearty 'welcome' by burning down the ship. What is left is what didn't burn.
The Site, Today
Today, you will not see the wreckage, as it is usually covered in sand. From maps and charts, I have estimated the actual location of the remains to be at N42 04.081 W70 07.146. It does get uncovered from time to time. The last time was 2010, where some of the ribbing was exposed. The National Park Service used the opportunity to map the exposed parts in 3D. If I find a link online I'll post it. But, the place place that the wreck may be is remotely located, and I didn't attempt it. From the Provincelands Visitor Center, it is about 3 miles away. From the Newcomb Beach entrance, it is probably around one mile away along a sandy beach. You may get closer via ORV trails, but you would need the right vehicle and permits to try it.
View and History Telling from the NPS Visitor Center
The best easily accessible location, which I did visit and is where the waymark is placed is at the Cape Cod National Seashore Provincelands Visitor Center in Provincetown, off US 6. The visitor center has a staircase in the center to the second floor where you have a 360 degree view of the area. The sign provides a good overview of the ship, and the vantage point provides good views of the sand dunes in the area as well as the Atlantic Ocean in the direction of the sand bar.
Artifacts on Display
The best place to actually see artifacts from the wreck is at the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. The monument is hard to miss - it's on top of a ridge and is the tallest structure on the Cape. As you enter the front door into the museum and gift shop, the first thing that greets you is the a glass enclosed small cannon that has a sign that states that it was from the HMS Somerset. In the exhibit area, there is a case that contains relics from the ship, including a cathead, a bible, and various iron objects.
There are several ways to see the shipwreck depending on where you are going and what kind of time you have.
Sources:
Wikipedia (HMS Somerset (1748)):
(
visit link)
Boston.com (
(
visit link)
National Park Service (Cape Cod National Seashore):
(
visit link)
Cape Code Online (Shipwreck Off Provincetown Goes Digital):
(
visit link)
Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum:
(
visit link)