Unknown: Aberlady Bay, Firth Of Forth
Craft (19th Century)
Site Name Unknown: Aberlady Bay, Firth Of Forth
Classification Craft (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Aberlady Bay Ship Graveyard; Aberlady Sands; Gullane Sands; Outer Forth Estuary
Canmore ID 268130
Site Number NT48SE 8027.04
NGR NT 4596 8032
NGR Description NT c. 4596 8032
Datum Datum not recorded
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/268130
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Maritime - East Lothian
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NT48SE 8027.04 c. 4596 8032
N56 0.77 W2 52.01
NLO: Aberlady Bay [name centred NT 457 808].
(Hulk 4: location established by GPS as NT 45960 80328). This carvel-built vessel measures about 16.75m in length and lies on her starboard side, the coherent remains of part of the starboard side surviving beneath the deposit of ballast. The visible remains comprise the upstanding timbers of 23 frames attached to those of the keel, stempost and deadwood, all pinned under a mound of ballast stones. Various portions of frames or futtocks have either collapsed or been washed eastwards. The outer planking comprises strakes 20cm wide, while the average frame spacing is 30cm. The stempost contains one of the few rigging fittings identifiable (an iron ring bolt and cable), while the deadwood still contains the lowest rudder pintel.
The ballast mound has trapped mussel shells in its lee, while a second area of ballast lies near the sternpost
NMRS, MS/2083 (pp. 16).
The description of these remains is consistent with their being those of a carvel-built and heavily-framed fishing (or possibly cargo) vessel of the type commonly found in this area. In the absence of any apparent remains of an engine, sail power may be assumed. No plank-fastenings were apparently recorded.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 5 November 2004.
Field Visit (March 2014)
ShoreUPDATE March 2014
As described. The wrecks were surveyed in 2002 as part of the Scotland's ship graveyard survey, and were Scheduled in the same year. The wrecks sit on the mud in the generally sheltered environment of Aberlady Bay in the Firth of Forth.
Visited by Scotland's Coastal Heritage at Risk (SCHARP) 2014
Field Visit (2014)
A series of wooden ribs project from the mud flats in Aberlady Bay indicating the presence of several wrecks. The ribs project from the mud to a height of between 0.20m and 2.0m. Stone cobbles lie amongst the ribs, which would originally have been ballast. The wood is decaying and the mud flats appear to be encroaching on the site.
Visited by Scotland's Coastal Heritage at Risk (SCHARP) 2014
