Editing HMS Beagle (section)

==Possible resting place==
[[File:Beagle_S_Punta Arenas_19-01-2018 (1).jpg|thumb|upright|Replica scale 1:1 of HMS ''Beagle'', Nao Victoria Museum, [[Punta Arenas]], Chile, 2018]]

Investigations started in 2000 by a team led by Robert Prescott of the [[University of St Andrews]] found documents confirming that ''"W.V. 7"'' was ''Beagle'', and noted a vessel matching her size shown midstream on the [[River Roach]] (in [[Paglesham]] Reach) on the 1847 hydrographic survey chart. A later chart showed a nearby indentation to the north bank of Paglesham Reach near the Eastend Wharf and near Waterside Farm. This could have been a dock for ''W.V. 7'' – ''Beagle''. Site investigations found an area of [[marsh]]y ground some {{cvt|15|ft|m}} deep on the tidal river-bank, about {{Convert|150|m|ft}} west of the boat-house. This discovery matched the chart position and many fragments of [[pottery]] of the correct period were found in the same area.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7819991.stm |title=Hunting the lost Beagle |newspaper=[[BBC News]] |date=9 January 2009 |access-date=14 February 2018 |last=Grange |first=Jeremy}} [https://www.google.com/maps/place/51%C2%B035'45.6%22N+0%C2%B048'49.2%22E/@51.5960103,0.8114793,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d51.5960073!4d0.8136677 Google Maps location]</ref>

Surveys in November 2003 showed that there are the remains of substantial material within the dock that could be parts of the ship itself.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-11 |title=19th-century dock, built to accommodate the HMS Beagle designated a scheduled monument |url=https://www.heritagedaily.com/2020/05/19th-century-dock-built-to-accommodate-the-hms-beagle-designated-a-scheduled-monument/129024 |access-date=2021-07-24 |website=HeritageDaily – Archaeology News |language=en-US}}</ref> An old [[anchor]] of 1841 pattern was excavated. It was also found that the 1871 [[census]] recorded a new [[farmhouse]] in the name of William Murray and Thomas Rainer, leading to speculation that they were the 1870 purchasers of the ship, "Messrs Murray and Trainer". The farmhouse was demolished in the 1940s, but a nearby boathouse incorporated timbers matching [[Knee (construction)|knee timbers]] used in ''Beagle''. Two more large anchors similar to the one excavated from the ship's present location are known to have been found in neighbouring villages. It is believed that the ship carried four anchors.

Their investigations featured in a [[BBC]] [[television]] programme which showed how each watch ship would have accommodated seven coastguard officers, drawn from other areas to minimise collusion with the locals. Each officer had about three rooms to house his family, forming a small community. They would use small boats to intercept smugglers, and the investigators found a [[causeway]] giving access at low tide across the soft mud of the river bank. Apparently the next coastguard station along was ''Kangaroo'', a sister ship of ''Beagle''.