One of England's most important shipwrecks to be brought back to life in Essex

Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Charlie Frost.

One of England's most important 17th-century shipwrecks, The London, is being brought back to life by experts.

'The London', is a 17th-century wooden warship, which was once one of the most important vessels in the Commonwealth Navy, sank just off Southend Pier in 1665.

Buried at the bottom of the Thames Estuary for 350 years, state-of-the-art technology is being used to digitally map it in a hope that some of the history can be saved.

The diving project is funded by Historic England, working with MSDS Marine and Licensee Steve Ellis from the London Shipwreck Trust.

It aims to accurately map the layout of the wreck which has been lying in two parts on the seabed. 

It is one of only three wooden warships of its kind built in 17th century, once was part of the convoy carrying King Charles the second as he returned to reclaim the throne following the death of Oliver Cromwell.

Credit: ITV Anglia

But in 1665 when it was on its way to take part in the Second Anglo-Dutch war it accidentally blew up, the gunpowder onboard catching fire, the explosion splitting the ship in two, with 300 lives lost as it sunk to bottom of Thames Estuary.

Steven and Carol know The London like the back of their hands Credit: ITV News Anglia

Forgotten for more than 300 years, in 2012 it was re-discovered by Leigh on Sea diving couple Steven and Carol Ellis.

But even though Steven and Carol know The London like the back of their hands, they jumped at the chance to work with Historic England to digitally map the ship, with the hope the state-of-the-art technology can provide an accurate record before it erodes beyond recognition.

The 4cm wide Bronze sundial compass. Credit: Steven Ellis

The last big excavation of the site seven years ago pulled up many treasures, including a bronze sundial, shoes, and impressively a gun carriage and on their weekly dives Steven and Carol keep making discoveries as the estaury bed begins to expose more of the wreck.

Not known for its clear blue waters, the Thames can be a murky dive, 50 centimetre visibility is considered a good day by Steven and Carol. That's why this new tech is even more important, it works like a sat nav tracking the divers.

As every shipping container passes the risk to The London increases, but the hope is, that this new technology can help save, or at the very least record, a special piece of the past, for the future.