Not all are mentioned especially where there is very little information.
Type 1 – No name, listed by date & approximate position.
[1574] – LARN – Vessel carrying Prince Philip of Castile and his wife Dona Juana along with their retinue, was cast ashore in a violent storm. Henry VII accommodated them at Windsor for two weeks. Bournemouth Guardian: 13/01/1912.
[14/12/1627] Studland Bay, Poole – French, 26 gun ship. VLI.
[14/12/1629] – LARN, VLI. – 26 gun French Ship lost in Studland Bay.
[Jan 1629] – LARN “ship was a total wreck off Burton (Bradstock), Chesil Beach, and 130 Spanish came ashore, including the Captain. There was extensive looting” There is another entry for 1630 which mentions 180 Spaniards at the same place?? However references like this are interesting when you consider the Bronze Cannon found in West Bay.
The best reference comes from the Burton Bradstock website written by Ray West:
“Endymion Porter was the son of a landowner in Gloucester but was brought up by his grandparents in Spain. In 1623 at the age of 36 he joined the English Royal Court and later, when Charles 1st became King, he was made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber. The King sent to him Spain to negotiate an alliance against France. He returned on a Spanish Ship which foundered off Burton Bradstock on the 2nd January 1629. Endymion , together with the ships captain Don Antonio, and it’s 130 crew were cast ashore. Sir Thomas Freke, the Sherriff of Dorset, together with the help of Mr. Porter undertook to look after the crew and supplied them with cloth to replace their garments and paid for their vitualling for the two months they were shipwrecked. The Captain also had his spyglass replaced. The villagers of Burton Bradstock took advantage of this wreck and serious looting occurred. Robert Napier of West Bexington and his Catholic friend, John Arundell of Symondsbury were highly embarrassed by the villagers actions and sought to amend the situation by writing an apology to Endymion, thus:-
Your rustick freind presuming on your worth, dareth to salute you, not with a puritanical hart, as did the Burtonions or rather Brutonians, at your perilous arrival on our barbaric coast, but with a reall and Catholike hart, solely and wholely devoted ever to honour and serve you.
Napier tried to deliver this letter in person to Endymion to express regret at the ‘base abuses and beggarly insultings’ Burton had offered their unexpected guest. ”
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[20/01/1630] – LARN, VLI. – “One hundred and eighty Spaniards shipwrecked. Burton Bradstock, near Bridport, Chesil Beach.
[17/09/1666] – LARN – Man of War lost in Weymouth Bay.
[13/01/1731] – LARN – Sloop & Brigantine both carrying nutmegs, allspice, tobacco and log wood. Durlston Bay, Swanage.
[12/02/1758] – Sloop from Weymouth, Malt. Lost off Lulworth Cove, all crew drowned. Sh. Merc: 20/02/1758.
[23/02/1763] – From the registers of Burton Bradstock Church of St. Mary the Virgin – “Was buried a Lad of abt. 4 or 5 years old who was thrown ashore in the Parish and supposed to be a Passenger in a vessel bound from the Bay of Honduras as a Quantity of Logwood etc. came ashore at the same time. N.B. The Boy genteely dress’d and deem’d to be the son of a Lady richly dress’d who was taken up a few miles from the Parish”. Ref. Burton Bradstock Online.
[28/03/1778] – Evidence from a grave stone in St George’s Churchyard, Portland. “In memory of Nichols Mourant of Guernsey, Age 34 – Purbeck Coast.
[06/01/1786] – Sloop. Cargo 250 cases of spirits. Captain John Nutman – Weymouth. Sh. Merc: 10/01/1786.
[00/01/1786] – Times: Wednesday, January 11, 1786, Issue 327: “Swedish East Indiaman lost off Portland on Thursday Night”
[20/01/1786] – American Ship of 400 tons. cargo Oil and other articles. Stranded in Portland Road, near the Ridge of Popples. Crew saved. Ref. Attwooll & Sh Merc: 30/01/1786.
[17/03/1793] – French Brigantine. Prize of the 5th Rate, 36 Gun HMS CRESCENT. Sh Merc: 25/03/1793.
[10/08/1793] – LARN – Brigantine, cargo salt. Captain Michael Perianan. Sh Merc: 19/08/1793.
[01/02/1799] – LARN – “the EAGLE Gun Boat and a cutter of about 50 tons were drove on shore in a violent gale of wind in Studland Bay off Poole. See also HMS EAGLE.
[11/10/1799] – LARN – “was a prize of a Guernsey privateer” Chesil Cove.
[09/02/1813] – LARN – “several gold rings and dollars have been taken up, five crew washed ashore dead. Flag was either Spain or Portugal. Lloyd’s List. – Chesil Beach, off Langton.
[19/01/1817] – LARN – French Sailing Vessel. See Dor. Mag: 1976, No. 50 p18. See 1817 Gale.
[06/03/1818] – LARN – Sailing Vessel. Sh. Merc: 16/03/1818.
[23/11/1824] – LARN – Possible Danish Brig carrying citrus fruit. Chesil Beach opposite Abbotsbury. 1824 Gale.
[26/01/1827] – LARN – “Smack, wrecked amongst the rocks and all hands perished” Near Weymouth Harbour. DCC: 01/02/1827.
[24/12/1832] – Brig wrecked on the Chesil Beach. “Captain and two men lost, Portland Islanders saving one man. The vessel had become embayed at Lynch and sprang a leak” West Bay. DCC: 27/12/1832.
[30/11/1838] – LARN – Brig, Cargo COAL – Langton Herring. 1838 Gale
[11/02/ 1839] – LARN – West Indiaman – Near the Kimmeridge Ledges. (DCC: 14/02/1830.)
[19/07/1839] – LARN – Sailing Vessel – DCC: 22/07/1839 “the body of a 14 year old female believed to be ‘Jane Wade’, was found on the beach near the harbour, and believed to be from the wreck on the 19th’.
[October 1839] – Loss of an unknown French Ship & Bravery of John Mantle.
[11/08/1852] – LARN – Brig with painted gun ports seen to founder by a Coastguard. E of the Shambles.
[10/02/1866] – LARN – Extreme Gale. “The village of Studland was left a complete wreck, with 63 trees blown down, and 30-40 tons of stone from the octagonal tower. In the bay eight schooner were seen in difficulty, three being dashed to pieces on the shore. All crew (possibly 17 to 18 ) lost but two. Some bodies recovered”. DCC: 17/02/1866. 1866 Gale
[04/06/1866] – Schooner – LARN – Collision between the steamship MARY NIXON and a schooner. The schooner was lost with all hands. The master of the MARY NIXON was found at an enquiry to be drunk. His certificate was suspended for twelve months. West of Portland. BOT: Wk Rtn. 1866 for more information.
[02/10/1868] – Brigantine – LARN, 1868 – Kimmeridge Ledges, St Alban’s Head. St Austell Gazette: 02/10/1868.
[24/01/1875] – LARN – French Barque. The Coastguard and the Rocket Apparatus were on shore following her from place to place. There were also Customs officials, the Superintendent of the Sailors Home, and Captain Scott of HMS ROYAL ALFRED accompanied by some seamen. At 4 p.m. it appeared the ship would go ashore almost directly opposite where the ROYAL ADELAIDE was lost, but it turned and headed for the Chesil Beach, causing the people ashore to keep up with her. At 4.45 p.m. she struck, and huge seas went over her topmasts. She swung beam on to the shore and only seven minutes later, as the Rocket Apparatus arrived, a line made contact and the crew were saved. Each masts then fell with a deafening crash prior to the ship splitting in two. Southern Times: 30/01/1875. Note this took place six days before the wreck of another French Barque, the MARIE REINE.
[05/03/1876] – LARN – The Tophill (Portland) Coastguard, reported a vessel trying to beat down channel against the wind and that she was labouring heavily. When clear of the Bill and the Race at 2.30 p.m. she was seen to settle down with the crew climbing into the rigging. No boats could be lowered in such weather, and the vessel was seen to founder. DCE: 07/03/1876
[19/03/1876] – LARN – Fishing smack presumed lost in the Christchurch Head area. Swanage lifeboat the CHARLOTTE MAY searched but found nothing. DCE: 21/03/1876.
[05/12/1876] LARN – Schooner, seen to founder by Portland Bill Coastguard. – Portland Race. Southern Times: 09/12/1876 p5.
[04/12/1879] – Sailing Barge (inc. Spritsail) – Portland Breakwater. Southern Times: 06/12/1879. VLI.
[06/09/1882] – LARN – Galliot, Dutch? sank following a collision with a Liverpool registered barque, COMADRE in a NE gale. Off Portland Bill.
[11/08/1888] – LARN – Yacht sunk following collision with S.S. TELEGRAPH of Shoreham. Poole Bay.
[24/08/1895] – LARN – Steam Launch (Not named) belonging to the yacht ULVA was sunk after a collision with the yacht CORSAIR of Southampton. Weymouth Roads.
[14/03/1902] – Report in DCC: 20/03/1902. “FOUNDERING OF A SHIP OFF PORTLAND BILL A schooner, name unknown, was seen in distress on Friday afternoon in the Portland Race, and tugs were despatched, but about 5.20 pm she was seen to founder about half a mile below the Bill. Another report states that the schooner was, presumably, Dutch. All hands, it is feared, are lost.”
[12/03/1903] – Schooner wrecked on the Chesil Beach. (Fleming p35)
[10/09/1903] – Report in DCC: 17/09/1903; “SUPPOSED LOSS OF A STEAMER AND ALL HANDS ON THE SHAMBLES”
[14/01/1905] – LARN, VLI. – Cutter – Captain H. W. Hampshire. Note Editor: Looking at detail like this in LARN I am surprised there is no name given?
Section Update 15/01/2013
Type 2 – Typically found by remote sensing or divers chance find.
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 43, p51) – Well broken up , may be a collier 50 24.98N; 02 47.08W Contact Wellington & Taunton SAC have investigated it.
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 44, p51) – This is a small vessel with boiler amidships. 50 24.72N; 02 46.73W Contact Wellington & Taunton SAC have investigated it.
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 45, p51) – May be a barge. May be more information from Lyme Regis area. 50 39.30N; 02 46.70W
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 60, p58) – Lies 250 metres from the GRANE and not far from the SALSETTE. Consists of ribs and frames, a lead keel and some brass fitting. May be a French yacht? [44M] 50 29.46N; 02 42.78W
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 61, p58) – Small steam driven vessel which may be a trawler or tug. Contact Wellington & Taunton SAC have investigated it. [52M] 50 23.80N; 02 42.00W
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 73, p64) – Nobody knows what this at the time of publication. [57M] 50 21.30N; 02 37.22W Coaster or Trawler?
UNKNOWN – KINGSTON CAIRNGORM – Possible identification- (Divers Guide; Weymouth & Portland Ed. 5 p33 Wk. No. 69 & Ed 4 p35 Wk No. 26)
UNKNOWN – (Diver Guide; Weymouth & Portland; Ed. 5 p32 Wk. No. 56) – Coaster – [c. 40M] 50 28.54N; 02 32.07W
UNKNOWN – Landing Craft? (Divers Guide; Weymouth & Portland Ed. 5 p32 Wk. No. 57) – 50 29.17N; 02 21.24W
UNKNOWN – Yacht – (Divers Guide; Weymouth & Portland Ed 5 p17 Wk. No. 9)
UNKNOWN – (Dive Dorset: 150, p117) – [19M] 50 34.87N; 02 24.72W
UNKNOWN – (Peter Knight’s Wreck) – (Dive Dorset: 156, p118) – [45M] 50 29.30N; 02 21.30W
UNKNOWN – Steel Barge – (Dive Dorset: 202, p151) -[43M] 50 26.29N; 02 07.53W
UNKNOWN – (Andy Smith’s Wreck) – A steamer with the possible ID of the SAXMUNDHAM (Dive Dorset: 213, p155) – [53M] 50 21.78N; 02 02.92W
UNKNOWN – ‘Meat Boat’ See STRYN [40M] Clarke: 50 21.618N;03 11.863W – 10 miles off Berry Head.
AIRCRAFT Sea Vixen – (Dive Dorset: 129 p105), (Divers Guide; Weymouth & Portland: Ed. 5 p17 Wk. No. 11) – 50 34.74N; 02 26.96W
Day of Loss: 0
Month of Loss: 0
Year of Loss: 0
Longitude:
Latitude:
Approximate Depth: