Archaeology Notes

Event ID 760233

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/760233

HY40SE 8013 4813 0078

N58 53.5 W2 54

NLO: St Mary's Bay [name: HY 477 005]

Stromness [name: HY 253 090]

Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].

For plan indicating the relative locations and orientations of blockships in this group, see Macdonald 1990, 125.

Formerly entered as HY40SW 8001 and Site no. 8914 at location [incorrectly] converted to HY 4253 0086.

For adjacent (and successor) Churchill Barrier No. 1, see HY40SE 25.

Quality of fix = CR

Horizontal Datum = OGB

Buoyage =

General water depth = 8

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The steel single-screw steamship was built in 1887 and sunk as a blockship. The stern was removed later and the hull cut down.

Source: Wrecks of Scapa Flow.

Surveying Details

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1919. This wreck is mentioned in salvage operations on the AORANGI.

11 August 1924. The site is classified as a dangerous wreck, lying on bearing of 076 degrees, 926 metres from Skaildaquay Point, or 58 53 30N, 002 54 00W. A sanction from the Treasury has been received to pay ?6,800 for the removal of the THAMES and LORNE. The Royal Air Force Coast of Scotland are to watch proceedings.

10 July 1931. Attempts to salvage the vessel have been abandoned.

14 March 1972. The wreck's position is stated to be bearing 318.5 degrees, 701 metres from Lamb Holm trig stn (61). The vessel is standing upright about 3.35 metres high, with about 8.5 metres of water over it. The wreck has been blasted but leaving the hull intact almost to the gunwhale. However the stern is missing. The top of of the wreck consists of superstructure.

Report by Undermarine Operations, 5 March 1972.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

(Classified as steel steamship: no cargo specified, but date of loss cited as 7 January 1915). Thames: this vessel was scuttled as a blockship in Kirk Sound.

Registration: London. Built 1890. 5621grt. Length: 133m. Beam: 15m.

(location of loss cited as N58 53.50 W2 54.0).

I G Whittaker 1998.

Kirk Sound is not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map. It is the most northerly of the eastern sounds of Scap Flow, and lies between St Mary's, Holm (on the Mainland of Orkney) and Lamb Holm [name: HY 485 005].

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 8 October 2002.

Length: 436 ft (132.9m): date of sinking 7 January 1915.

'Ballasted. Very good condition and likely to last. Upper deck awash at H.W.' (Report dated 28 June 1915 and accompanying panoramic sketch dated 8 December 1915).

The accompanying panoramic drawing (of Kirk Sound, looking E from St Mary's Pier) depicts a near flushed-decked ship of apparent passenger liner design, with clipper bow and stern. The central superstructure is relatively long; the fo'c'sle and poop are slightly raised. The vessel is depicted from the starboard beam and as settling in a level attitude with the waterline at about its normal level on the ship's side; the three masts (two of them aft) and two funnels remain erect.

The accompanying map depicts the vessel as lying with bows towards the S, to the S of the centre of the sound. It lies between those of the Aorangi (HY50SW 8001) and the Minieh (HY40SE 8004).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 30 January 2004.

PRO [Kew] ADM116/2073A: dated 17 December 1919.

Kirk Sound is not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map. The name applies to the most northerly of the sounds on the E side of Scapa Flow, beteween Lamb Holm (to the S) and St Mary's village, Holm, Mainland (to the N). It is centred at HY 484 010, and is spanned by Churchill Barrier No. 1 (HY40SE 25).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 21 March 2007.