The offshore site has been interpreted as the wreck of a different vessel, potentially carrying the guns as armament rather than cargo, evidenced by iron shot present in the mouth of the bore of one cannon which indicates it was loaded.
The sites were investigated by Wessex Archaeology in 2015; this involved a programme of diving surveys.
Shot, a brass barrel spigot, and some silver Dutch coins have also been found in the vicinity of the sites.
The Dutch West Indiaman De Hoop became stranded at Chesil Cove in 1749 while travelling from Jamaica to Amsterdam carrying gold and silver coins, textiles, and tobacco.
Another possible identity is Squirrel which was a cargo vessel stranded on Chesil Beach in 1750 carrying tobacco.