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"Shipwrecks around Rhiw, Aberdaron and Bardsey" by Chris Holden ~~~~~~~~~~ Porth
Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth) comprises a three and a half mile wide south-west facing
sandy bay, with rocky cliffs to the east and west. It was appropriately named,
and feared by generations of seamen. Any sailing ship unfortunate enough to be
swept into the bay during a south-westerly gale would have had great difficulty
in escaping, and would be faced with the choice of running into the cliffs or on
to the beach. Most ships opted for the latter, with the 1850s Ordnance Survey
map clearly stating ‘Transit wrecked in 1839’. Other vessels known to have
been beached are the ‘Arfestone’ (1840), the ‘Aggravator’ (1898), the
‘Twelve Apostles’ (also 1898), the ‘Margaret & Elizabeth’ (1912) and
the ‘Trader’ (1917). Most
of these would have been pounded to pieces on the beach and scavenged for scrap,
but some items - such as the boiler believed to be from the ‘Aggravator’ -
can still be seen at the high-water mark. Thomas Pennant, in his ‘A Tour in Wales’, published in 1781, compares the dual dangers of Hell’s Mouth and Sarn Badrig to those of Scylla and Charybdis in Homer’s Tales, where the mariner avoids one, but is trapped by the other. The long, shallow reef of Sarn Badrig caught dozens of victims, but many other vessels came to grief in Hell’s Mouth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris wreck diving, Timbo off Abersoch and Ilesha at Bardsey Porth
Neigwl 1/2/1810,
On the same day that the 'Elizabeth' was lost in Hell's Mouth, the Aberystwyth
schooner 'Mary' was lost on the rocks at Rhiw while sailing in ballast from the
Isle of Man. 3/2/1812
The 'Allelulia' was lost at Rhiw when outward bound from Liverpool for Oporto,
Portugal. Its cargo was saved. 15/11/1824.
The ‘Resolution’ ran ashore at Porth Neigwl while sailing from Waterford to
Liverpool. 7/12/1866,
The 79-ton Nefyn schooner, 'Henry and Catherine' drifted onto a rocky beach near
Aberdaron with the loss of four persons. Another report says the vessel was lost
at Hell's Mouth. 13/10/1870.
Lloyd’s List. Pwllheli. The 'Mary', brigantine, Kelly, of and from Wexford,
for Cardiff in ballast, was abandoned yesterday near Bardsey Island, making
water, with pumps choked and shortly afterwards drove ashore and went to pieces.
Ashore this morning at Hell's Mouth and has become a total wreck. The
‘Dalmation was a
1,989-ton, Bibby Line vessel which was lost during a storm on the 26th
of November 1872. Built by Harland & Wolf in 1862, this iron screw-steamer
was outward bound from Liverpool, heading for Trieste when it ran into bad
weather. Some reports say that it foundered near Bardsey Island, but others show
it ashore at Hell’s Mouth. Lloyd’s
List. Liverpool 29/11/1872. A quantity of timber has washed ashore near Hell's
Mouth. Also 3 or 4 hatches, like steamer hatches, some pieces of oars with the
letters TSDL, cabin doors and pieces of new packing cases with the following
marks -- 'Quire & Co. A
man by the name of Edward Hughes at Pwllheli saw a bright light about 9pm 26th
November 1872, coming from the direction of Bardsey. The above letters TDSL are those
of the 'Dalmatian' which left this port 19th November for Palermo. Another
telegram states that the wreckage at Bardsey is identified as part of the cargo
from the 'Dalmatian'. Lloyd’s
List 30/11/1872
St. Tudwell's The beach from Hell's Mouth round to about two miles east of
Abersoch is strewn with sides of bacon, hams and tallow. One cask of tallow is
marked on one end 'Trist' in painted letters. Lloyd’s
List 3/12/1872
A brass plate with 'Harland & Wolff, Iron Shipbuilders and Engineers,
Belfast 1862' and the end of a drawer with 'S.S. Dalmatian' on it have been
washed ashore near Hells Mouth. 30/10/1880.
The 'Nymph', a 104-gross ton schooner was carrying coal from Llanelly to Newry,
when it was lost at Porth Neigwl. 18/1/1883.
Ten crew were saved when the 650 ton barque 'Penseverenza' ran onto the beach
under Ty Mawr Farm, close to the west end of Hell's Mouth. Newspaper reports
suggested that it was expected to become a total wreck. Owned by Cox Brothers of
Locano, Italy, the barque was carrying Baltic Pine and Deal from Penzacola to
Greenock. 14/2/1895.
The schooner 'Joseph Nicholson' of Portmadoc sank near Hell's Mouth after
colliding with the schooner 'Walt Ulric'. Fortunately, there was no loss of
life. 5/8/1898.
The ‘Aggravator’ was a 37-ton, wooden steamer that was carrying a cargo of
coal when it was wrecked on the beach towards the western end of Hell’s Mouth.
The ship’s boiler can still be seen on beach, underneath the site of the old
brickworks that operated here during the later years of the 18th
century and the early years of the 20th Century. 23/11/1898.
In driving rain and strong winds, the Pwllheli schooner 'Twelve Apostles' was
deliberately run onto the beach in Hell’s Mouth. In a recorded interview, an
eyewitness said that the ship ran ashore at the eastern end of the beach, where
the little stream comes out near Nant. The
telescope from the vessel is now displayed in Nefyn Museum. 1/11/1899,
The 155-ton brigantine 'Rob the Ranter' of Foy was wrecked at Hell's Mouth with
the loss of 2 crew members. The survivors managed to escape in their own boat
and came ashore near Trefallwyn Farm at Llanengan. It was carrying a cargo of
‘burnt ore’. Trefollwyn Bach and Trefollwyn Fawr are about 1/3 of the
distance along Hell's Mouth, measured from the west (Rhiw) end of the beach. 7/2/1902,
The 76-ton ‘Jane & Annie’ was carrying biscuit and flour from Cardiff to
Portmadoc when it was lost at Hell's Mouth Also
on the same day, the ‘Catherine & Mary’, a 90-ton wooden schooner was
lost by the brickworks whilst en-route from Neyland to Portmadog. 1903
The ‘Idea’ foundered in Hell’s Mouth while in ballast. 5/8/1904,
S.S. ‘Ganda’, a Belgian-registered vessel of 474 tons that was wrecked here
while loading manganese ore. The ‘Ganda’ broke from her mooring during the
night, tangled the mooring-rope around her propeller, and drifted ashore. On the
following day, the rope was cleared and she steamed away, heading for a safe
anchorage at the St. Tudwal’s Islands. Unfortunately, she was found to be
leaking badly and so returned to the pier where she grounded on a stony seabed,
split her hull, and filled with water. Lloyd’s
List 9/8/1904 Ganda owners superintendent due here to report. Lloyd’s
List August 8th. The steamer Ganda of Gent, for Antwerp with
manganese ore, while lying at Rhiw Jetty, broke her moorings on the night of
August 5th, got a rope round her propeller and drifted ashore. After
clearing propeller, vessel got off next day and proceeded for St. Tudwals
Islands. Soon afterwards, she was found to be making so much water that she was
beached in Hell’s Mouth to prevent sinking. Crew safely landed.
"Hell's Mouth Jetty" Lloyd’s
List August 9th. Estimate cargo 500 tons. Bound Antwerp. Stranded off
Rhiw, Hell’s Mouth. Head inshore, exposed SES to SW weather. Sitting on level,
sandy ground. Captain reports vessel having bumped on stony ground when she
broke adrift from loading jetty. At 4 hours ebb tide, water in hold 20’ higher
than outside level. When high tide, reaches about 3’ below afterdeck. 28/8/1912,
The 72-ton ketch ‘Margaret & Elizabeth’ was wrecked while discharging
coal at Rhiw Pier. 20/1/1917,
The ‘Trader’, a 32-ton iron screw-steamer, was totally lost at Rhiw,
presumably at the pier or at the brickworks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Porth
Cadlan 30/9/1873 The 'Pwllheli Packet' was abandoned by its crew while carrying a cargo of roofing slates from Caernarfon to Haverford West. Lloyd’s List says 4 miles north-east of Bardsey & gives latitude & longitude 1 mile south of Porth Cadlan. Carnarvon
and Denbigh Herald, 2nd June 1883
Aberdaron.
A steamer sunk. About 6 o'clock last Wednesday morning, the steamer 'Glen Okum'
of London, bound from Newport to Liverpool with railway bars, went ashore at
Porth Cadlan. She sank soon afterwards. She was 200 tons register and belongs to
London. The crew managed to save some of the effects. Lloyd’s
List of 25th May, 1883, reported that the ‘Glenocum’ was
ashore and full of water. By the 28th, the Liverpool Salvage
Association had refloated the ship, but then had to beach her again at Aberdaron
in the hope of removing the cargo and repairing the ship. Operations continued
all summer to recover most
of the cargo of iron bars, along with the ship’s anchors, chains and fittings.
By September 20th, 246 tons of cargo had been removed, but all hope
of saving the ship had been lost and work was abandoned. The wreck and remaining
fittings were sold for £70. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aberdaron 1752
‘St. John the Baptist’ Wrecked at Aberdaron. 12/1/1808
The sloop 'Joseph' sank at anchor in Aberdaron Bay, with a cargo of wheat,
butter and cheese for Liverpool from Milford Haven.
1/12/1847
The 60 ton sloop 'Jane' sank at anchor in Aberdaron Bay. 26/10/1859
The Cardigan schooner 'Priscilla' was lost with all hands and a cargo of lead
ore, either in Aberdaron Bay or at Porth Oer. This was the night of the ‘Royal
Charter Gale’, when a vessel of that name ran ashore at Moelfre, Anglesey,
with the loss of over 400 lives. 30/1/1869
The Aberdeen brig 'Bellona' was wrecked at Aberdaron while carrying a cargo of
coal. All crew-members were saved. 1874
The 34 ton, Llandudno sloop, 'Sarah Lloyd' was lost at Aberdaron.
December
1880. Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald, 11th December, 1880, Pwllheli. Wreckage
around the shores of Porth Dinllaen and Aberdaron, numerous deck planks and
other timbers apparently indicate that a wreck has been washed ashore. On the
6th, a figurehead was picked up at Porth Neigwl, Hell's Mouth .It was the image
of a man measuring about 7 ft long with his left hand in his bosom and in his
right a chart or role of paper. May
1883, Wreck in Aberdaron Bay Usually
referred to as ‘The Wreck in the Bay’, this is probably the remains of the
3-masted, iron steamer ‘Glenocum’ which was deliberately beached after
hitting a rock in 1883. Built
in 1875 at the shipyard of
T. Grendon & Co., Drogheda, Ireland, the ‘Glenocum’ was owned by
The Belfast Steamship Company and propelled by a 75-horsepower, 2-cylinder
steam-engine.
According to the 1881 edition of Lloyds Register, the ‘Glenocum’ was 146
feet 5 inches long, with a beam of 22 feet 4 inches. Having measured this wreck
from the prominent bow to the sternpost, I came to a total of 147 feet 8 inches,
which allowing for minor errors is virtually the same as the ‘Glenocum’. Other
divers have suggested that this wreck is that of the ‘Priscilla’, but the
only local reference to a steamer of this name gives an overall length of
120’, which is much too short for this wreck.
Carnarvon
and Denbigh Herald, 2nd June 1883
Aberdaron.
A steamer sunk. About 6 o'clock last Wednesday morning, the steamer 'Glen Okum'
of London, bound from Newport to Liverpool with railway bars, went ashore at
Porth Cadlan. She sank soon afterwards. She was 200 tons register and belongs to
London. The crew managed to save some of the effects. Lloyd’s
List of 25th May, 1883, reported that the ‘Glenocum’ was
ashore and full of water. By the 28th, the Liverpool Salvage
Association had refloated the ship, but then had to beach her again at Aberdaron
in the hope of removing the cargo and repairing the ship. Operations continued
all summer to recover most
of the cargo of iron bars, along with the ship’s anchors, chains and fittings.
By September 20th, 246 tons of cargo had been removed, but all hope
of saving the ship had been lost and work was abandoned. The wreck and remaining
fittings were sold for £70. The
‘Glenocum’ provides an excellent introduction to wreck diving, being
shallow, out of the main current and close to the shore. The prominent bows are
intact and point seawards (south), indicating that the ship probably dropped
anchor before grounding. This is the deepest part of the wreck, where even at
high-water the maximum depth will be less than 10 metres. The deck is completely
missing, so there are no passageways or holds to explore other than the
forepeak, but the single 4-metre high ‘Scotch’ (tubular) boiler remains
upright and intact, with dense kelp growing on its upper surface. The twin
stoke-doors face towards the stern, a design feature of a small vessel in which
the jobs of engineer and stoker could be combined. The
hull has collapsed outwards so that the iron hull-plates now lie almost
horizontal, creating large gaps that provide a safe haven for large shoals of
pout. Take
a good torch to look at the pout, the prawns in the fireboxes and the conger
that usually peers out of the hole in the top of the boiler or hides in one of
the boiler pipes. Be aware that the conger (nicknamed ‘Dinky’) does object
to divers hammering away at his home inside one of the copper pipes, and will
come out to chase off the noisy intruder! In
addition to the shoals of pout already mentioned, pipefish and small two-spotted
gobies hide among the wreckage and thick kelp, while large ballan wrasse will
follow a diver around the wreck in the hope that he or she will dislodge an easy
meal. 25/5/1883
Lloyd’s List
Glenocum
Liverpool May 23rd 6.50 pm. The
Liverpool Salvage Association reports that the Glenocum (steamer), Newport for
Liverpool, is ashore in Aberdeen Bay, full of water. ( This is how it was
reported, Aberdeen, not Aberdaron) 1/6/1883
Lloyd’s List
Liverpool May 28th
7.55 pm
The Liverpool Salvage Association report that the Glenocum steamer
floated yesterday morning, but making too much water had to be beached at
Aberdaron. Operations continuing next tide. 29/6/1883
Lloyd’s List
London June 23rd The Liverpool Salvage Association reports Captain Archer
wires last night that trunk-way over hatches fixed yesterday morning but breeze
came on with the day obliged him to clear out before noon. Evening - could see
woodwork all adrift. No news today. Inclines us to believe weather improved.
Work resumed. 25/6/1883
Lloyd’s List
Liverpool Salvage Association report continued southerly winds Saturday
and yesterday prevented work at ship and also prevented tide ebbing. Fear these
springs lost. Part men being sent back. 20/9/1883
Lloyd’s List
The Liverpool Salvage Association report. The wreck of this vessel
together with material has been sold and realised £70 gross. The total quantity
of cargo saved is about 246 tons. 25/1/1884
At low-tide, the masts of an unknown barque were seen sticking out of the water
at Aberdaron. This was probably the 967 gross ton wooden barque ‘Miningu’,
outbound for Rio de Janeiro from Cardiff with a cargo of coal. All 16 persons
aboard were drowned. May 1908 The 47-ton schooner ‘Elizabeth & Mary’ was stranded and became a total wreck at Aberdaron. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bardsey
Sound & Island 3/4/1812.
The 57-ton Glasgow sloop
'Lady Charlotte', sailing from Spain to Bristol, was well off course when
it was wrecked on Bardsey Island. Part of the cargo of wool, nuts and wine was
saved. 20/11/1819
All hands were lost when the sloop ''Margaret' was wrecked near the Bardsey
Lighthouse. 16/12/1819
A Scots sloop was wrecked on Bardsey, the crew being saved. 20/9/1820
The sloop 'Active' hit the coast, either on or close to Bardsey Island, while
sailing from Waterford to Liverpool. 21/9/1820
The 91-ton brig 'British Queen' sprang a leak and sank two miles south-west of
Bardsey Island with it's cargo of Caernarfon slate destined for London. Crew
saved in own boat. 13/10/1822
An unknown sloop sank half a mile south-east of Bardsey with the loss of all
hands. 17/12/1822
In thick fog, the Aberdovey sloop 'Sally' ran onto the rocks on the east side of
Bardsey, sinking immediately. The crew escaped, reporting that where they ran
into the island 'the cliffs appeared higher than the mast', suggesting they were
wrecked north of the slipway 30/12/1822.
The tender for the Bardsey Lighthouse was lost, along with all six persons
aboard. 2/12/1825.
Sailing from Newport to Liverpool with a cargo of iron, the ‘Lively’ was
wrecked near Bardsey. Two of the crew were lost. 8/11/1830.
The 'Skylark' was en route from Plymouth to Liverpool when it foundered off
Bardsey. 7/5/1832.
The 'Mary', of Aberystwyth, sank near Bardsey. 6/12/1834.
The ship's boat from the Arundel schooner 'Thomas' was washed ashore at the
south-west promontory of the Llyn Peninsular. It was presumed that all hands
were lost. 25/12/1836.
Bardsey Sound claimed the sloop 'Ann'. 1836
- Unknown date. The schooner 'Rhine' was lost in Bardsey Sound while en route
from Stockton to London. (If so, why was she here?) May
1838. The smack ‘Wave’ was presumed to have been lost off Bardsey, as the
ship’s boat was picked up off the island. 1849
The Pwllheli sloop 'Mermaid' sank in Bardsey Sound. 8/4/1855
Liverpool ship 'Robert' IN COLLISION OFF BARDSEY -- DID IT SINK ? Note
same day -- Philadelphia steamer 'North Carolina' sank off Bardsey
-- SAME
INCIDENT ? 10/9/1858
The 51 net ton schooner 'Gleaston' (or ‘Glaston Miller’) hit a rock in
Bardsey sound while transporting coal from Swansea to Ulverston. Presumably this
rock was Carreg Ddu or Maen Bugail. The prevailing south-west gale then drove
the ship onto the mainland shore, where it sank with the loss of the captain and
one crew member. The two remaining crew-members were saved. 11/3/1861
The 34 net ton flat 'Palendar' was heading to it's homeport of Barmouth from
Drogheda when it was dismasted in Bardsey Sound. The south-westerly gale drove
it onto rocks, where it broke up and sank with the loss of the captain and one
sailor. The flat was carrying flour and oatmeal Carnarvon
and Denbigh Herald, March 23rd, 1861 -- BARMOUTH.- Wreck.-The 'Palendar' of this
port was lost on the 1lth inst., near Bardsey Sound. She was laden with flour
and oats, and on her homeward passage from Drogheda to Barmouth. Capt. Pugh and
the mate were of this town, and were lost. A boy was saved. A subscription has
been set on foot for the widow of the captain, which is liberally responded to
by the inhabitants of Barmouth. 20/3/1862
No lives were lost when a vessel foundered 5 miles north of Bardsey. This was
the 'Thames', carrying copper ore from Barrow to Port Talbot. 28/11/1864
The Pwllheli sloop 'Racer' sank in Bardsey Sound. 3/12/1865
The Caernarfon snow 'Jane' was wrecked near Bardsey.
9/2/1870
The Porthmadog schooner 'Prince of Wales' was wrecked at Bardsey. 12/10/1870
All 12 hands were saved when the Spanish ship 'Baringo' became a total wreck on
Bardsey Island. It was carrying a cargo of raisins and muslins. Lloyd’s
List
19/10/1870 The cargo of the 'Baringa', from Liverpool to Havana, which
was wrecked on Bardsey Island, 12th October, is floating about the coast. Lloyd’s
List 21/10/1870
The Master and Mate of the 'Barinaea', remaining at Bardsey Island, have saved
some tons of goods washed ashore from the wreck. 29/10/1870
Carnarvon & Denbigh Herald -- Late Gales and Wrecks The
'Baringo', owned by M. Bilbonin, Spain, has become a total wreck on Bardsey
Island, but all the hands, twelve in number, were saved. She had a general cargo
of dry goods such as muslins, raisons etc. The 'Amity' of Plymouth, Captain
Windsor, came into St. Tudwell's Roads on Saturday evening, having lost a boat
and received other damage. The 'Nimble' of Whitehaven is supposed, from the fact
that it's signboard has come ashore on the coast here, to have sunk between
Bardsey Island and Porth Nigwl.
20/1/1878
Carnarvon & Denbigh Herald
Sat 26/1/1878 A collision took place on Sunday evening, about half past
seven pm at Bardsey Bay, SSW 16 miles, between the 3-masted schooner 'Forest
Fairy' of Falmouth, Gregory, master, from Liverpool to Cardiff in ballast and
the ketch 'Intrepid' of Jersey, Robinson, master, Liverpool to Weybridge in
Cornwall, with grain. The wife of the master of the 'Intrepid' was drowned.
There does not appear to have been any great effort to save her, more especially
by those on board the ketch. She was manned by the father and two sons and one
seaman. They all appear to have gone on board the schooner as soon as possible,
leaving the old lady to her fate. The boat from the schooner was launched and
kept pulling about for an hour but saw nothing. The ketch went down a few
minutes after. 28/1/1880
While sailing from Bantry Bay to Liverpool with a cargo of pyrites, the 77 net
ton schooner 'Viscata' sank about twelve miles west of Bardsey, the four crew
escaping in their own boat. Another report puts the wreck as 10 miles east of
Bardsey. 4/3/1881
The 109 ton Porthmadog schooner 'Great Britain' left Portmadoc with a cargo of
slates and stone for Plymouth, but encountered severe south-easterly winds and
was lost in Bardsey Sound.
12/9/1882
The brig 'Rowland Evans' sank south-west of Bardsey. 19/10/1885
Pwllheli schooner 'Jane & Eliza' lost. 2/1/1887
The 4-masted ship 'Duke of Connaught' was returning in ballast from Maryport to
it's home port of London, when it sank off Bardsey following a collision with
the Liverpool steamer 'Dragon'. Fourteen crew were lost and seven saved.
10/8/1888
The ‘Active’ was lost off Bardsey. 21/3/1897
Two steamers, the 'Amethyst' and the 'Anubis' collided off Bardsey. The
Dublin-registered 'Amethyst' sank but the crew were rescued by the other vessel
and taken to Liverpool. Carnarvon
and Denbigh Herald 26th March 1897 Shipping
Casualties. The Moss Line steamer ‘Anubis’ which arrived at Liverpool on
Monday from Alexandria, reported having been in collision on Sunday with the
Dundee steamer ‘Amethyst’ for Barcelona, off Bardsey Island. The weather was
very thick at the time. The ‘Amethyst’ was struck by the stem of the
‘Anubis’ which sank shortly afterwards. The crew managed to get on board the
‘Anubis’, though they have lost all their effects. They were brought to
Liverpool. The ‘Anubis’ has her stem twisted. 3/11/1898
One crew member was lost when the 99 gross ton, Barrow schooner, 'Alice
Bannister' was involved in a collision with the steamer 'Barrowdale'. The
schooner sank about 10 miles west of the Bardsey Light, with it's cargo of china
clay from Cornwall. 9/12/1899
The 89-ton 'Jane
Pringle' was lost off Bardsey. 1900
The Scots sailing vessel 'Leah' was wrecked on the west side of Bardsey. 19/10/1900
Maid of Meirion -- Maen Bugail / wooden dandy / Portmadoc to Larne with roofing
slates.
Lloyd’s
List Portmadoc,
Oct 22nd 1900 The 'Maid of Meirion' of Aberystwyth, Portmadoc for Larne with a
cargo of slates, went ashore in Bardsey Sound and became a total wreck. Crew
saved 25/1/1914 The 100 gross ton 'Harvest Home', a 3-masted schooner hit a rock, sprang a leak, and foundered in Bardsey Sound. The vessel was carrying china clay from Par in Cornwall to Ardrossan. All crew members escaped in their own boat. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks
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