1. Remains of a wreck near the low water mark on the Warren beach. The wreck lies some 150m to the NNE of another unnamed (FOSIL?) wreck (NPRN 418877).

The wreck was a study and monitoring site for the CHERISH EU funded Climate Change and Coastal Heritage Project 2017-2023.

Monitoring visit 11 September 2018 at a 0.1m low tide and marking the first time the wreck was observed and recorded. The wreck is wooden, measuring 11.8m long by 4m wide. It is orientated SW/NE with the stern to the NE.

At the time of record the stern was more clearly exposed than the bow, standing 0.25-0.3m above the sand. Framing and planking and some treenails were visible, defining the rough outline of the vessel. A short section of the keelson was also exposed, and the possible rudder was lying on a diagonal near to the stern. Towards the bow end a concentration of fragments of angular broken stone was observed, which may represent ballast or the remains of a cargo. A few metres to the north, and clearly removed from it, is a 2.5m long windlass. The windlass is heavily tarred and has radial carved grooves at its east end.

Monitoring visit 23 January 2019. The wreck was largely besanded and less exposed than the CHERISH visit of 11 September 2018. The stern and a short section of framing on the north side of it was visible a maximum 0.15m above the sand. To the SW of the vessel a section of concreted anchor chain was visible.

Monitoring visit 1 October 2019 at a 0.3m low tide. Visit by CHERISH and the Nautical Archaeology Society and Malvern Archaeological Diving Unit. The wreck was exposed 45 minutes before low tide and was clearly visible, similar to that noted in September 2018. The sand had ripples within the wreck structure and there was pooling around the exposed windlass.

The stern is 0.2m wide, 0.14m thick and standing 0.5m above the sand. The futtocks 0.15 by 0.13m and 0.44m above the sand. The spacing between the futtocks is 2mm at the stern where exposed. The external planking is 0.03m thick and 2.23m long. The internal planking is 0.04m thick and 1.01m long with 0.14m exposed above the sand. The keelson is 0.29m wide and 0.09m high above sand. The possible rudder found at an angle within the vessel has some iron staining or iron near the northern end. The rudder is 3.5m in total length and 0.41m wide and 0.19m high. There is a step in the rudder 1.2m from the northern end. Angular cobble ballast around the keelson was exposed near the bow. The keelson is exposed as one plank from the possible keel for 1.4m and then a further plank of 2.07m before broken to the east. The keel is exposed for 0.49m and is 0.24m wide.

A dressed stone was found to the south of the wreck and a fragment of thick white coarse stoneware or drainpipe observed within the frame on the southern side. Treenails were exposed near the stern on the southern side and are 0.03m diameter and protrude 0.11m from the external planking into the ship. There is sawing or adzing marks on the internal planking near the stern on the southern side. The windlass was observed to the north of the vessel and the concreted chain was noted some 5m to the SW of the bow. Sea cauliflower Leathesia difformis is at the termination of the possible chain along with sea lettuce and carragheen. The great shipworm Teredo navalis was observed in the stern wood.

A single timber post was recorded 96m NE to north of the wreck at SH 32659 30013. This may be a seperate feature, but should be monitored.

Monitoring visits 18 September 2020, 29 March 2021 and 21 October 2021. The wreck was besanded and no elements of it were visible.

L. Barker, T. Driver, D. Hunt, E Pollard CHERISH (RCAHMW and Discovery Programme Ireland).

CHERISH PROJECT. Produced with EU funds through the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme 2014-2020. https://cherishproject.eu/en/

2. The site was visited by the RCAHMW on the 23 February 2023 and recorded via photogrammetry. The wreck was exposed with those features described above, but was less visible than CHERISH monitoring in September 2018 and October 2019. The results of the survey can be viewed here:

Cymraeg: https://skfb.ly/oEQLY

English: https://skfb.ly/oEAyG

L. Barker and J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, April 2023

Site Record

Unnamed Wreck (Maria?) on The Warren Beach, Abersoch,