More than 400 black leather shoes from the Victorian era have washed up on the beach at Ogmore-by-Sea in South Wales. Volunteers from Beach Academy first spotted the strange finds. During one week in December alone, about 200 shoes appeared on the sand.
The boots are thought to date back to the Victorian period, which lasted from 1837 to 1901. Many are hobnailed, meaning they have tiny metal studs in their soles to make them stronger and less slippery. Although they have spent many years under the sea, the shoes are still in surprisingly good condition.
Some of the boots are large and others are smaller, but experts say adults in the 19th century often had smaller feet than people do today. Emma Lamport, who founded Beach Academy, said she was amazed by how many shoes had appeared.
Researchers believe the footwear may have come from a shipwreck nearly 200 years ago. In 1831, an Italian cargo ship called the Frolic crashed into Tusker Rock, a dangerous reef about two miles offshore. The reef has caused many ships to sink and is sometimes known as a “ship graveyard”.
Experts think the shoes may have been packed in large crates that sank into the muddy seabed. Over time, storms and strong waves could have broken the crates apart, allowing the tides to carry the boots towards the shore.
