Unknown: Portencross, Firth Of Clyde
Cannon (Post Medieval), Craft (Post Medieval), Galleon (Post Medieval)
Site Name Unknown: Portencross, Firth Of Clyde
Classification Cannon (Post Medieval), Craft (Post Medieval), Galleon (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) 'Portencross Galleon'; Portoncross; Portincross; Farland Head; Outer Clyde Estuary; Unknown; Unknown 1588
Canmore ID 112281
Site Number NS14NE 8001
NGR NS 17499 48899
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/112281
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Maritime - North Ayrshire
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NS14SE 8001 175 489
N55 41.9 W4 54.3
NLO: Portencross [name: NS 175 490]
Farland Head [name: NS 177 485].
See also NS14NE 3 and NS14NE 8002 and NS15SE 28.
(Name cited as Portincross). 'This port and castle have become still more remarkable, from an occurrence that happened near them, and which deserves to be taken notice of here, namely, the loss of one of the Spanish ships, that composed the famous Armada, intended for the conquest of England, in the year 1588, in consequence of their dispersion by a storm, after the action with the English fleet. She sunk in about 10 fathom water, at no great distance from the shore. It is difficult to assign a reason for the accident; the probability is, that coming up the Frith, with easy weather, and all sail up, and ports open, a sudden gust from the land, which often happens in narrow seas, had overset her. An attempt was made, some more than 50 years ago, by means of a diving machine, to examine her situation, and whether it was possible to weigh her up, or to recover what was most valuable belonging to her. The diver reported, that from the size of her guns, she appeared to have been a capital ship; and a very large chest was perceived fixed upon deck. The operation succeeded so far, that some fine brass guns were brought up, and a smaller iron one, which still lies upon the beach. This piece of ordnance, has undergone many inspections, and various opinions have been formed about the weight of its shot. To judge from the caliber of it, in its present corroded state, it seems to have been a 14 or 16 pounder. A second attempt was to have been made, with a new and more complete apparatus, when, it is probable, much more of the wreck would have been recovered, but the death of one of the undertakers, unfortunately put an end to the scheme.'
OSA 1794.
An iron cannon, about 8ft long, traditionally from 'one of the large ships of the Spanish Armada which sank in about ten fathoms of water at no great distance from the shore' was recovered from the sea in 1740 and now lies at Portencross. Hewitt, after examining various accounts, concludes that the gun is either of late 16th or 17th century design, and is almost certainly Spanish. The remains of the ship that carried it lie somewhere between the point and Little Cumbrae. Although not necessarily a member of the Armada, as the Spanish navy was frequently in Scottish waters after 1588, it could be that the wreck was of a ship listed as 'fate unknown' by Philip's officials.
NSA 1845; G R Hewitt 1967.
NS 1756 4890. A much-rusted iron cannon, bearing an indecipherable coat of arms, lies on the beach 10.0m SE of Portencross Castle.
Visited by OS (DS), 12 September 1956
No change to the previous report. The cannon, 2.3m long with central pivot rods, rests on stone paving.
Visited by OS (JRL), 18 November 1982.
(No location or area of survey specified). In 1989, the [former] Archaeological Diving Unit carried out magnetometry and diver survey across an area with a local tradition of an Armada wreck. Several magnetic anomalies of uncertain significance were noted, most significantly on the rocks adjacent to a large stone tomb-slab, and a small cannon found concreted to the rocks.
Diving was carried out between 3 June and 8 June 1989 in depths of between 1 and 25m. The seabed was noted as trocky down to about 9m depth. Below this, the sediments become increasingly fine, with sand adjacent to the rocks and silt further down. Extensive growth of kelp and weed was noted on the rocks, but the sand and silt were clear of vegetation.
The only item of archaeological significance noted underwater was a stone slab which measured 2m by 1m, with ogee-decorated edges. This was apparently an uninscribed table-top tomb-slab of (probably) late 17th or early 18th century date.
The alleged 'Armada period' gun on display outside Portencross Castle was also considered to be of late 17th or early 18th century date. There was thus no evidence found for an Armada-period shipwreck in the area.
NMRS, MS/5540 (ADU report 043, dated 17 July 1989).
Cannon re-sited 1990 to location outside administrative offices of Hunterston Power Station (NS15SE 28). Other discoveries probably from the same wreck are held in the McLean Museum, Greenock.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
(No classification specified; date loss cited as 1588). Unknown: supposed Armada galleon.
Capt. Roe recovered brass cannon 1740 from 11 fathoms [depth].
(Location cited as N55 41.90 W4 54.40).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Loss (1588)
(No classification specified: date loss cited as 1588). Unknown: supposed Armada galleon.
Capt. Roe recovered brass cannon 1740 from 11 fathoms [depth].
(Location cited as N55 41.90 W4 54.40).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Evidence Of Loss (1740)
An iron cannon, about 8ft long, traditionally from 'one of the large ships of the Spanish Armada which sank in about ten fathoms of water at no great distance from the shore' was recovered from the sea in 1740 and now lies at Portencross. Hewitt, after examining various accounts, concludes that the gun is either of late 16th or 17th century design, and is almost certainly Spanish. The remains of the ship that carried it lie somewhere between the point and Little Cumbrae. Although not necessarily a member of the Armada, as the Spanish navy was frequently in Scottish waters after 1588, it could be that the wreck was of a ship listed as 'fate unknown' by Philip's officials.
NSA 1845; G R Hewitt 1967.
Evidence Of Loss (1794)
(Name cited as Portincross). 'This port and castle have become still more remarkable, from an occurrence that happened near them, and which deserves to be taken notice of here, namely, the loss of one of the Spanish ships, that composed the famous Armada, intended for the conquest of England, in the year 1588, in consequence of their dispersion by a storm, after the action with the English fleet. She sunk in about 10 fathom water, at no great distance from the shore. It is difficult to assign a reason for the accident; the probability is, that coming up the Frith, with easy weather, and all sail up, and ports open, a sudden gust from the land, which often happens in narrow seas, had overset her. An attempt was made, some more than 50 years ago, by means of a diving machine, to examine her situation, and whether it was possible to weigh her up, or to recover what was most valuable belonging to her. The diver reported, that from the size of her guns, she appeared to have been a capital ship; and a very large chest was perceived fixed upon deck. The operation succeeded so far, that some fine brass guns were brought up, and a smaller iron one, which still lies upon the beach. This piece of ordnance, has undergone many inspections, and various opinions have been formed about the weight of its shot. To judge from the caliber of it, in its present corroded state, it seems to have been a 14 or 16 pounder. A second attempt was to have been made, with a new and more complete apparatus, when, it is probable, much more of the wreck would have been recovered, but the death of one of the undertakers, unfortunately put an end to the scheme.'
OSA 1794.
Field Visit (12 September 1956)
NS 1756 4890. A much-rusted iron cannon, bearing an indecipherable coat of arms, lies on the beach 10.0m SE of Portencross Castle.
Visited by OS (DS) 12 September 1956
Evidence Of Loss (18 November 1982)
No change to the previous report. The cannon, 2.3m long with central pivot rods, rests on stone paving.
Visited by OS (JRL), 18 November 1982.
Evidence Of Loss (17 July 1989)
(No location or area of survey specified). In 1989, the [former] Archaeological Diving Unit carried out magnetometry and diver survey across an area with a local tradition of an Armada wreck. Several magnetic anomalies of uncertain significance were noted, most significantly on the rocks adjacent to a large stone tomb-slab, and a small cannon found concreted to the rocks.
Diving was carried out between 3 June and 8 June 1989 in depths of between 1 and 25m. The seabed was noted as trocky down to about 9m depth. Below this, the sediments become increasingly fine, with sand adjacent to the rocks and silt further down. Extensive growth of kelp and weed was noted on the rocks, but the sand and silt were clear of vegetation.
The only item of archaeological significance noted underwater was a stone slab which measured 2m by 1m, with ogee-decorated edges. This was apparently an uninscribed table-top tomb-slab of (probably) late 17th or early 18th century date.
The alleged 'Armada period' gun on display outside Portencross Castle was also considered to be of late 17th or early 18th century date. There was thus no evidence found for an Armada-period shipwreck in the area.
NMRS, MS/5540 (ADU report 043, dated 17 July 1989).
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 1267
Name : UNKNOWN 1588
Latitude : 554154
Longitude : 45424
Loss Year : 1588
Comment : Supposed Armada galleon. Capt. Roe recovered brass cannon 1740 from 11 fathoms.
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 004084
Feature Class : Wreck
State : DEAD
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 55.69917,-4.90444
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.69911,-4.90562
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 55.69833,-4.90667
Position Quality : Unreliable
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 3
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : UNKNOWN
Type : GALLEON
Flag : SPANISH
Contact Description : Notable debris
Original Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1967
Original Source : Divers
Surveying Details : **5.5.67 A SPANISH GALLEON, FROM WHICH SOME CANNON WERE RECOVERED IN 1790, REPORTEDLY LIES IN SOME 60FT OF WATER AT PORTENCROSS. (UNDERWATER WORLD MAGAZINE, APL/MAY 1967).
**11.11.88 REFERRED TO LOCALLY TO AS THE "PORTENCROSS GALLEON". ALLEGED TO LIE OUT FROM THE RUINED CASTLE. THERE IS DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE FOR A WK OF A "SPANISH SHIP AGAINST THE SHORE" AT THIS SITE. (DIVE WEST SCOTLAND, VOL 1, P65).
**HA141/02/01/01 2.3.89 CANNON FOUND AT DEPTH OF 3MTRS AND MAGNETIC ANOMALIES DETECTED IN 4MTRS. APPLICATION MADE TO HAVE SITE DESIGNATED UNDER TERMS OF 1973 HISTORIC WK ACT. (G SPENCE).
**HA141/02/01/01 26.7.89 UNDERWATER SEARCHES BY DIVERS AND MAGNETOMETER SURVEY OF AREA OVER PERIOD 3-8.6.89 FAILED TO FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A LATE 16TH CENTURY WK. ONLY TABLE-TOP TOMB SLAB FROM A KNOWN 18TH CENTURY WK WAS FOUND ON THIS SITE. (ADU REPORT 043, 17.7.89).
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**2.2.99 DATA RE-ASSESSED. AMENDED TO DEAD. NCA.
Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY
Date Last Amended : 02/02/1999
Date Position Last Amended : 11/11/1988
Named Location (Nlo) (23 March 2012)
NLO: Portencross [name: NS 175 490]
Farland Head [name: NS 177 485].
See also NS14NE 3, NS14NE 8002 and NS15SE 28.
Note (23 March 2012)
(Location entered as NS 175 489 [N55 41.9 W4 54.3]).
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 23 March 2012.
Evidence Of Loss
Cannon re-sited 1990 to location outside administrative offices of Hunterston Power Station (NS15SE 28). Other discoveries probably from the same wreck are held in the McLean Museum, Greenock.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
