Cawnpore: Roinn Diomhain, Loch Goil, Upper Firth Of Clyde
Barge (20th Century), Degaussing Barge (20th Century)
Site Name Cawnpore: Roinn Diomhain, Loch Goil, Upper Firth Of Clyde
Classification Barge (20th Century), Degaussing Barge (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) 'On [the] South Side Of Loch Goil'; Tol Nam Muc; Ardnahein; Carraig Na Maraig; Rubha Nan Eoin; Inner Clyde Estuary; Cawnpore; Unknown 1816
Canmore ID 102441
Site Number NS29SW 8002
NGR NS 20392 93473
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102441
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NS29SW 8002 2039 9347
N56 6.0167 W4 53.2833
NLO: Rubha nan Eoin [name: NS 212 927].
Formerly entered as NS29SW 9070.
The wreck lies 150 yards N (magnetic) of the grassy tip of Roinn Diomhain. It formerly contained batteries, copper, lead and electrical equipment but this has been salvaged. She lies in 8 metres depth and stands 4 metres above the bottom. Dimensions 23 x 5 x 3 metres.
Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register 1987.
Quality of fix = HSA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 2
Orientation of keel/wreck = 062242
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
8 August 1950. A dangerous wreck was reported at 56 06 03N, 004 53 17W. It is marked by a green can buoy close to the north.
Report by the boom defence officer, Greenock.
6 August 1958. The buoy was removed.
Report by HMS ACHERON.
22 Agust 1961. A request was received to purchase the wreck by Blackwood/Nurse & Co.11 October 1962. A tender of five pounds was accepted by Lt T Nurse, Glasgow.
15 March 1982. The site is referred to as the 'degaussing barge'. It stands 4 metres high in a general depth of 8 metres. The hull is complete. The superstructure and many batteries are lying on the deck and around hull. The bow angled into the sandy bottom.
Source: BSAC Wreck Register, Vol 5.
17 February 1984. The wreck was examined on 12 September 1983 at 56 06 01N, 004 53 17W. The site's position was fixed by horizontal sextant angles (details not provided). The least depth by leadline dries to 0.16 metres, in general depths of 0 to 5 metres. The wreck lies on its starboard side, with its keel orientated 062/242 degrees (bow to the SW). Its overall length is 15 metres (49 feet), and width 10 metres (32 feet). There are no signs of the batteries mentioned in previous report. Local knowledge suggests this was a torpedo trials vessel which sank shortly after World War II. There are two torpedo tubes, one above and one below the low water line nearby. Report by HMS HYDRA.
21 May 1990. The wreck is not visible on aerial photo [dated 16 May 1988]. The waterline at the time of the photo was 1.9 metres above lowest astronomical tide.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
(Classified as barge: no cargo or date of loss specified). Cawnpore: this vessel [was lost] on the South side of Loch Goil.
(Location of loss cited as N56 6.5 W4 53.3).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The description of the location of loss that is cited by Whittaker is misleading. Loch Goil runs N-s, and the location of loss falls on the locally SW side of the loch, where it curves into Loch Long.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 10 June 2008.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 1296
Name : CAWNPORE
Latitude : 560603
Longitude : 45318
Type : BARGE
Position : Exact Position
Comment : On south side of Loch Goil
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 16823
Name : UNKNOWN 1816
Latitude : 560700
Longitude : 45300
Loss Day : 31
Loss Month : 12
Loss Year : 1816
Comment : Overset in Loch Goil, opposite Waininan. 5 lost
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002778
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Wreck showing any portion of hull or superstructure
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.10028,-4.88806
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.10017,-4.88925
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 56.10083,-4.88833
Position Method : Horizontal sextant angle
Position Quality : Precisely known
Drying Height : 0.2
Depth Quality : Least depth known
Water Depth : 2
Water Level Effect : Covers and uncovers
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : CAWNPORE
Type : BARGE
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 15.2
Orientation : 62.0
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : None reported
Last Sensor : None reported
Original Detection Year : 1950
Last Detection Year : 1984
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Survey Vessel
Surveying Details : **H4039/50 8.7.50 DW IN 560603N, 045318W, MARKED BY G CAN BUOY CLOSE N. (BOOM DEFENCE OFFICER, GREENOCK) - NM 1327/50.
**H4039/50 6.8.58 BUOY REMOVED. (HMS ACHERON, HN 1/58) - NM1464/58.
**H4039/50 22.8.61 REQUEST TO PURCHASE WRECK BY BLACKWOOD/NURSE & CO. (CP 57878/61).
**H4039/50 11.10.62 TENDER OF FIVE POUNDS ACCEPTED BY LT T NURSE, GLAS. C.3 (CP8A(1)50876/62)
**15.3.82 REFERRED TO AS "DEGAUSSING BARGE". STANDS 4MTRS HIGH IN GEN DEPTH 8MTRS. HULL COMPLETE. SUPERSTRUCTURE & MANY BATTERIES LYING ON DECK AND AROUND HULL. BOW ANGLED INTO SANDY BOTTOM. (BSAC WK REGISTER, VOL 5).
**H2010/81 17.2.84 EXAM'D 12.9.83 IN 560601N, 045317W. FIXED BY HSA. LEAST DEPTH BY LEADLINE DRIES 0.16MTR, IN GEN DEPTHS 0-5MTRS. LIES ON STBD SIDE, ORIENTATED 062/242DEGS, BOW SW. OVERALL LENGTH 15MTRS, WIDTH 10MTRS. NO SIGNS OF BATTERIES MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS REPORT. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SUGGESTS THIS WAS A TORPEDO TRIALS VESSEL WHICH SANK SHORTLY AFTER WWII. THERE ARE TWO TORPEDO TUBES, ONE ABOVE AND ONE BELOW LWL NEARBY. (HMS HYDRA, HI 40). R/P.
**21.5.90 WRECK NOT VISIBLE ON PHOTO [DTD 16.5.88], WATERLINE AT TIME OF PHOTO 1.9MTRS ABOVE LAT. NCA.
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
Chart Symbol : ST D0.2
Date Last Amended : 28/02/1984
Date Position Last Amended : 28/02/1984
Desk Based Assessment (28 November 2014)
No further information found on shipbuilder or build-place of the Cawnpore. The name does not appear on www.clydesite.co.uk [accessed 28 November 2014] suggesting Cawnpore may not be Clyde-built.
Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology), 28/11/2014.
Project (October 2014 - April 2015)
The maritime archaeology of the Clyde has been identified as a focus for a major study of human interaction with the river through time by the RCAHMS following on from recommendations by the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF). Source to
Sea has been developed as the long-term research programme, of which the research into human connections with the River Clyde forms part. This project has comprised a study of the surviving shipwreck heritage of Clyde-built vessels lost within the Clyde estuary and Firth of Clyde.
This project has collated information from a range of sources and has enhanced knowledge of Clyde-built wrecks within the Clyde. In particular information from recreational divers has proved invaluable and has been the source of detailed information about the current condition of many Clyde-built wrecks, useful for on-going management. A number of wrecks previously recorded as of unknown identity in the RCAHMS database were positively identified during the project and more accurate positional information was established for a number of other wrecks. Additionally, the project identified a potentially significant wreck (Margaret Niven) the remains of which were not previously recorded. This project has also identified a number of other potentially significant wrecks within the Clyde, which reflect both its unique contributions to world-wide shipbuilding and local connections. These wrecks include paddle steamers (Lapwing and Princess of Wales), Clyde Puffers (e.g. Margaret Niven), steam-yachts with military connections (HMS Breda), a dredger (Greenock) and an 18th-century West Indiaman (Lady Margaret). Numerous other wrecks have been identified by this project, and all display some degree of significance.
Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology) April 2015
