The list of shipwrecks of Cornwall lists the ships which sank on or near the coasts of mainland Cornwall. The list includes ships that sustained a damaged hull, which were later refloated and repaired. Around a coast of approximately 250 miles (400 km) an estimated 6000 ships have been wrecked, more than on any other comparable coastline of the British Isles.[1] A traditional saying about the north coast is "From Pentire Point to Hartland light, A watery grave by day and night."[2] The coast of the Lizard peninsula is particularly hazardous to shipping and the seaways round it were historically known as the "Graveyard of Ships".
N.B. For those wrecks in the Isles of Scilly, see List of shipwrecks of the Isles of Scilly and for those on the Seven Stones Reef see List of shipwrecks of the Seven Stones Reef.
was stranded on the south Cornish coast, possibly in Mount's Bay. All her crew were saved and much of the cargo was salvaged. Scheduled Ancient Monument no. 1448520.[6]
Kingdom of England) on voyage, in ballast, to Poitou, wrecked in Widemouth Bay. £42 was found in a chest.[7]
Bilbao) lost near Lizard Point while heading for La Seyne.[7]
Lordship of Ireland) vessel was wrecked on the Cornish coast at "Porthlyn" and broken up by men from St Perran and St Carantoc. Although a Scheduled Ancient Monument the exact location is unknown, but is likely to be in, or near, Perran SandsorCrantock.[8] Kingdom of England) was boarded by Nicholas de Beer of Marhamchurch while anchored in the port of Widemouth. The cables and cords were cut and she was driven ashore by the tide and broke up. Goods to the value of £300 owned by John de Lym and Henry Bote lost.[9]
Kingdom of Portugal) possibly plundered by local people in Mount's Bay sometime between 29 November and early December. The captain was captured and forced to sign over the ship and contents which was worth 600 marks.[11] Kingdom of England) lost in Bude Bay while heading for her home port of Bristol from Danzig.[14]
County of Flanders) was wrecked near St Michael's Mount. She had left Spain with a cargo of textiles, iron, wax and other goods.[7][15] Nine Spanish late medieval gold coins found at Praa Sands by a metal detector may be from this wreck.[16]
Spanish Monarchy) lost at Polkemyas (now known as Porth Kidney sands), near Lelant in the manor of Lelant and Trevethowe carrying a cargo of cloth (including scarlet).[7]
Portugal) was a carrack which foundered in Gunwalloe Bay, Cornwall, in 1527 en–route from LisbontoAntwerp. She had a mixed cargo including copper and silver ingots, said to be worth an estimated £100 million in today's values. One half of the crew was lost.[21] The wreck was located in 1981 and a selection of her cargo can be seen in the Charlestown Shipwreck, Rescue and Heritage Centre, Charlestown.[7] Also reported as Saint Andrew and sinking on 19 January 1526.[22][23] The site is designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.[24]
Republic of Genoa).[27] The 1589 or 1590 wreck (see below) may refer to this wreck.In 1621 Sir John Killigrew reported “... a certificate of ye losse of 25 ships there and thereabouts within this dozen or twente years besides a great numbre of others whose ruines lye neare those rocks and cliffs, not knowne of whome or what they weare.”[30]
Spain) – a cargo vessel foundered off Rill Cove, near Kynance Cove in Mount's Bay.[31] Finds include 300 coins in two datable groups 1555–98 and 1598–1603/5. The year 1616 is tentative.[32] Spain) homeward bound from the Indies was captured and looted by the Dutch. Putting into "Guavers Lake" (Gwavas Lake) off Newlyn she hit the Low Lee ledge. Attempts at salvage by the authorities were opposed by the inhabitants of Mousehole and Market Jew who raided the ship at night and took away "two hundred hides". A looted cannon from this ship was salvaged by the Greencastle in 1916 and for many years was in front of Penzance Library, before being stolen.[28]
) warships were lost during a naval action off the coast of the Lizard peninsula, Cornwall. A Spanish () armada of eight warships intercepted an Anglo-Dutch merchant convey of fifty vessels and also captured seventeen of the ships.
Royal Navy) of Topsham carrying garments and other possessions of the late Charles I, together with some personal belongings of his fugitive Queen and the wardrobe of the Prince of Wales wrecked at Godrevy. She was taking shelter off St Ives in a great storm and dragged her anchors. Only a man, boy and wolf–dog survived out of about sixty passengers and crew.[30][35][36] Kingdom of England) wrecked on the approaches to the River Camel at Treyarnon Bay while on passage from Smyrna for London[37] Dutch Republic) was wrecked off Sennen Cove with a cargo of silver ingots.[33] Genoa) with 48 guns and a value of £100 000 lost on the Lizard. This wreck may be the ship the Ferdinand Research Group discovered in 1969 below Angrouse Cliff near Mullion Cove[38]
France) near the Lizard. This wreck may be the ship the Ferdinand Research Group discovered in 1969 below Angrouse Cliff near Mullion Cove.[38]
British East India Company) ran aground on Loe Bar. She was carrying a valuable cargo of spices, indigo, drugs, textiles, pepper, diamonds and ″Jewish Treasure of Pearl″[42] More of the wreck was uncovered, following storms, in 2018.[43] In 2018 divers found seven cannon and an anchor thought to be from the wreck.[44]
Royal Navy) a Dutch built fluit and, at the time, a sixth rate transport ship of the English fleet wrecked at Jangye Ryn near Gunwalloe Church Cove.[45] Royal Navy) foundered off Rame Head while at anchor in a south–east gale with the loss of approximately 600 lives.[46] British East India Company) wrecked at Port Quin.[48] Royal Navy) was wrecked in Whitesand Bay.[7][49]
Royal Navy) sank after a battle off Lizard Point against a French fleet of twelve ships. She was one of five ships escorting a convoy to Lisbon with supplies for the war in Spain. There were only three survivors out of a complement of 500.[50]
British East India Company) ran aground near Polperro, with a cargo of diamonds, coffee, pepper, silk and indigo.[51] Royal Navy) the last oared fighting ship built for the Royal Navy, hit the Stags off Lizard Point while en route to the West Indies with Lord Belhaven, the new Governor of Barbados. 182 crew and 25 gentlemen died and there were only three survivors; those who were saved were said to be local men; Thomas Lawrence, William Godfrey and a boy, George Hain; their names are sung in a ballad about the wreck which alleges that the dead were savaged by wild dogs. Designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act.[52][53] Dutch Republic) wrecked on Porthleven beach while bound for Rotterdam from Bordeaux with a cargo of wine, coffee, indigo and brandy.[41] Dutch Republic) with a cargo of wine wrecked near Porthleven.[41]
Kingdom of Great Britain) was wrecked during a storm at St Ives. She was formerly the Medee, captured in 1744 from the French by Lord Boscawen and released by the Admiralty as a prize.[54] Great Britain) foundered off Fowey while on a voyage from Pool, Dorset to Fowey.[55] Dutch Republic) of 167 tuns of Bordeaux wine. She was on voyage to Amsterdam.[7][33] One tun was 252 gallons.[41] Kingdom of Great Britain) stranded in a storm (24, 25 or 26 August) five miles west of St ives with the loss of one life. The vessel was sailing from Drogheda to London with flax seed and calves' skins.[57] Kingdom of Great Britain) carrying hemp, iron and tallow from Peterburgh sank as she entered her home port of St Michael's Mount.[60] Royal Navy) wrecked near the mouth of the Helford River.[61] Royal Navy) wrecked near the mouth of the Helford River.[62] Royal Navy) wrecked near the mouth of the Helford River.[63]
Ottoman Empire) wrecked on Chimney Rocks (grid reference SW475297), Penzance. The crew of Algerian corsairs and Turkish soldiers were delighted to find they were wrecked in Cornwall rather than Spain and they were repatriated to Algiers aboard a British warship.[28][64] Davies Gilbert retells a contemporary account from witnesses of the Algerine cosair running aground a little further to the west on the beach towards Newlyn. The captain thought the ship was in the Atlantic Ocean at about the latitude of Cádiz. Eight of those onboard drowned.[65]
Great Britain) from Liverpool caught fire about two leagues off Penzance and went down with her cargo. The crew were saved by local fishermen.[7]
French Navy) was lost off Land's End with all hands.[69] Royal Navy) blew up and sank off Penarrow Point, near the naval port of Mylor.[71] Dutch Republic Navy), a 4th rate Ship of the Line hit the Ebber Rocks on the Lizard Peninsula[76]
Batavian Republic) was driven ashore near Marazion, while on a voyage from Rotterdam to a French port.[79] Great Britain) wrecked at St Minver while on a voyage from LiverpooltoJamaica.[80]
United States) moored in Gwavas Lake broke its moorings, drifted towards the Wherry Mine striking its ″turret″, flooding the mine and causing it to cease trading.[81] A book published in 1820 makes no mention of a ship but blames, high tides, storms and the ″declining state of the lode″ which induced the adventurers to abandon the mine in 1798.[82]
Cyprus) dragged her anchor and grounded in Cawsand Bay while awaiting orders, after discharging her cargo of unleaded petrol at the Cattewater, Plymouth two days previously.[83]
Antigua and Barbuda) on a voyage from Cork, Ireland, to Lübeck, Germany, transporting 2,200 tonnes of scrap car plastic ran aground in Gamper Bay, between Land's End and Sennen Cove. Declared a constructive total loss on 24 March.[49]
Royal Navy) deliberately sunk to form an artificial reef for diving in Whitsand Bay.[86]
United Kingdom) sank 28 nautical miles NW of Land's End. All four crew winched to safety by RNAS Culdrose helicopter.[87] United Kingdom) started to sink seventeen miles NE of the Isles of Scilly and four of the crew taken off by RNAS Culdrose helicopter and one by the St Mary's relief lifeboat Daniel L Gibson (
Royal National Lifeboat Institution). Ship taken in tow by fisheries protection vessel St Piran ( United Kingdom) and sank a mile off Gwennap Head, Cornwall.[88] Netherlands): The cargo ship ran aground off the Trevean Cliff, Morvah. She refloated and continued her voyage from CorktoRotterdam.[89][90] United Kingdom): sank in Gerrans Bay with the loss of one of the two crew.[91] United Kingdom) sank 45 miles off the Lizard with one of the three crew missing[92]
France) ran aground at Lankidden Cove, on the east side of the Lizard between Coverack and Cadgwith. None of the five crew were injured.[93] She was refloated on 3 September and towed to Falmouth for repairs.[94] France) sank off Lizard Point, Cornwall. There was no loss of life amongst her French and Portuguese crew.[95] France) went aground at Park Head [97] near Porthcothan Bay [98] after losing power and steering approximately 5 miles off Trevose Head.[99] All six of the crew were safely rescued. Five crew members were recovered by a rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose, the skipper was picked up by the Padstow Lifeboat.[100]
Barbados) was abandoned in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) off The Lizard. Her six crew were rescued by the Falmouth and Lizard Lifeboats.[101] A magnetic patch was later placed on the hole in the vessels' hull and she was towed in to St. Austell Bay.[102]2021
• 11 August - Fishing vessel Fredwood MT338 of Maryport, Scotland. Ran aground on Battery rocks early morning after crew fell asleep on watch. Later refloated on rising tide and towed to Newlyn by the Penlee Lifeboat and workboat Danmark. No injuries and vessel returned to service after inspection.
2022
• 12 November 2022 - The 7.49m Fishing Vessel “Craig-A-Tana” of Cadgewith sank 6 miles South-East of Bass Point. Skipper and Crewman abandoned the rapidly sinking boat and took to the life raft. Both were picked up with no injuries by the Lizard lifeboat after successful activation of the EPIRB.
2023
•14 February 2023 - Belgian registered 24 meter beam trawler “Sylvia Marie Z-525” hit rocks and sank off Porthgwarra around 1800 hours, local time. The crew made a distress call before taking to the life raft and were later rescued by Sennen Lifeboat. No injuries reported
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