The wreck of the London has provided, and is continuing to reveal, crucial data on the nature of Post-Medieval naval warfare and maritime defence, such as the layout of warships and the activities undertaken on board. Its excavation was ‘the first systematic archaeological investigation of a large English warship of the Commonwealth or early Restoration period’ (Firth et al. 2012).
As a discrete 17th Century social group, the human remains of the women, seamen and officers on board are likely to be of considerable research potential. It is hoped that experts can carry out a study comparing the remains from the London to those from the group of sailors and marines uncovered at the Royal Hospital Greenwich (Boston et al. 2008).
In terms of technical advancement, the London project has enabled the refinement of certain techniques suitable for Maritime Archaeology, which are applicable in inhospitable marine environments. In addition, it has proved the value of various geophysical techniques rarely used in archaeological contexts.