Ayrshire: Gilsabight, Muckle Roe, Atlantic

HU36SW 8001 31274 62647

N60 20.833 W1 25.998

NLO: Muckle Roe [name centred HU 31 65]

St Magnus Bay [name centred HU 26 68]

Burki Skerries [name: HU 313 625]

Burki Taing [name: HU 318 625]

Swarbacks Minn [name centred HU 315 617]

St Magnus Bay [name centred HU 26 68].

Location formerly entered as HU c. 310 628 [N60 20.9 W1 26.3].

Lerwick, 26th Dec. The AYRSHIRE, of London, went on shore yesterday on Roe island, and is likely to be a total wreck: crew saved.

Source: Additional Intelligence, LL, No. 16,136, London, Friday, December 29 1865.

Lerwick, 24th Dec. The AYRSHIRE, Terry, from Quebec to Dundee, drove in to the south end of Roe island, St. Magnus Bay, this afternoon and brought up, but soon after parted her chains and went on the rocks. She will in all probability become a total wreck.

Source: LL, No. 16,137, London, Saturday, December 30 1865.

Lerwick, 16th Jan. The materials, rigging, sails and stores of the AYRSHIRE, Terry, from Quebec to Dundee, which went on the rocks here 24th Dec., have been saved: the cargo will probably be saved.

Source: LL, No. 16,155, London, Saturday, January 20 1866.

Lerwick, 29th Jan. The AYRSHIRE, Terry, from Quebec to Dundee, which went on the rocks here 24th Dec., has listed over, her bottom appears to be out, and the topsides, which are held together by the cargo, apparently parted from the floors and timbers.

Source: LL, No. 16,167, London, Saturday, February 3 1866.

Lerwick, 26th Mar. The NINA, Moore, has come to load the cargo of the AYRSHIRE, Terry, from Quebec to Dundee, which was wrecked at Mucke [Muckle] Roe 24th Dec.

Source: LL, No. 16,216, London, Tuesday, April 3 1866.

NMRS, MS/829/72 (no. 10897).

Ayrshire: [max. date] 1865

Built 1845 Quebec. Quebec for London, timber laden. Drove ashore after losing timber. 15 saved. 1 perished

Archive Ref: "OH 2/1/1866 p. 2 col. 5

MS/3025, no. 666.

(Classified as barque, with cargo of timber: date of loss cited as 24 December 1865). Ayrshire: this vessel was wrecked on the S end of Muckle Roe, St Magnus Bay. Capt. Terry. Gilsabight?

Registration: London. Built 1845. 681 tons [unspecified].

(Location of loss cited as N60 21.0 W1 28.0).

I G Whittaker 1998.

(Location cited as 0431274 1162647 [HU 31274 62647: N60 20.833 W1 25.998]). The Ayrshire was a Canadian softwood built, barque rigged vessel of 625 tons built in Quebec from oak, elm, tamarac and red pine in about 1845. The barque rig was considered a basic form of rig. It was easy to man and therefore economical to run, offsetting the fact that it was not the best rig for speed. The history of the Ayrshire highlights the life cycle of a typical mid nineteenth century merchant vessel that formed the backbone of world trade. Initially the vessel was an international trader, but then declined after changing hands a number of times to end its days on more limited routes hauling bulk cargoes.

As such she represents a part of British merchant marine history when such foreign built vessels were bought by British shipping companies for commercial reason. Whilst the industrial revolution led to large amounts of iron being used in many industries, this was not the case in shipbuilding. Iiron working requires a large industrial infrastructure, thus the number of ship yards that could produce and service iron ships was limited. That this infrastructure was not available at sea or in remote ports meant that wooden ships, which could undertake major structural repairs on board, were at a major advantage in a world were industrial dockyards were few and far between.

Timber supplies for ship building in Britain by the 19th century had become exhausted and much of the timber used had to be imported from America and the Baltic. The Duty on imported timber was exorbitant making it more economical to build the vessels themselves, often of inferior timbers, in North America and sail them across the Atlantic for sale in the UK. In 1847 the cost of building a vessel of imported timber was 66% higher than building it out off timber from the country of origin. The soft wood construction of these vessels limited their useful life as reflected in Lloyds only granting them A1 certificate for 5 years. Lloyds Register of British and Foreign shipping at this time used a classification system to describe a vessels condition. A indicated a ship of the 'first description of the first class' ? indicated a 'first class vessel of the second description'. 1 indicated well found, 2 otherwise. Softwood vessels classed at 10 years or less, hard wood vessel were often rated much higher than this. The Ayrshire's classification meant it was sound and could carry a cargo dry. Below this rating the vessel was considered sea worthy, but the cargo could be wet on arrival. In most cases this was sufficiently long to provide sufficient return for their investment. After the freight rates dropped in the mid 1850's most of these foreign built vessels were broken up.

Originally owned by Brown and Co., registered in Bristol and commanded by a Captain J R Brown the Ayrshire's maiden voyage was from Bristol to Calcutta. The Ayrshire stayed in the ownership of Brown and Co., until 1859 when ownership reverted to Hudson and Co., and the port of registration became Sunderland. By this time the Ayrshire's hull classification was reduced from A1, the highest, to AE 1, most probably a reflection of ware and tear of the long voyages between; London, Cardiff, Liverpool and Calcutta, Bombay, Aden and China. The Ayrshire ended her days in the ownership of W Corner., registered in London and under the command of W. Terry. It was during her final voyage, between Quebec and Liverpool with a cargo of timber, that she encountered a storm and was wrecked on the southern end of Muckle Roe, Shetland, c. 1866.

The Ayrshire ran aground off the SW part of Muckle Roe, Shetland (NGR 0431274 1162647). Muckle Roe is situated on the west side of the Shetland mainland in the middle of a large enclosed bay created by Northmavine to the N and the West side to the S. The Ayrshire ran aground into Gilsabight, Muckle Roe, a small geo (an inlet/cove). The Ayrshire, on route from Quebec to Liverpool was driven north towards Shetland in a storm. On sighting land the Ayrshire sought shelter in the lee of the land, anchoring off the Swarbacks Minn on Sunday 24 December 1865. Tthat night the anchor chains of the Ayrshire broke and she was run under bare poles into Gilsabight, Muckle Roe, where she was driven ashore in the middle of a snow storm. The mast was brought down against the cliff face and the crew climbed off. In the low visibility of the snow storm the crew mistook the local sheep for polar bears and climbed back aboard the vessel. There they stayed for two or three days whilst the vessel bumped and ground itself into the bottom; the cargo of timber undoubtedly gave the vessel sufficient buoyancy whilst it had structural integrity.

The Ayrshire and her crew were eventually found, after the snowstorm, by a crofter looking for his sheep. The crofter was surprised to see the barques topgallant mast lying on top of cliff face. After reassuring the crew that there were no polar bears in Shetland they scrambled off the vessel via the mast. The rat population of the barque along with fifteen of the sixteen crew members were saved. By 11 January the materials, rigging, sails and stores had been salved. By the 29 of January the Ayrshire had listed over, her topsides held together by cargo had separated from the bottom. The cargo was salved, taken to Busta, and was ultimately re-shipped in another barque called the Nina.

This was not the end of the ordeal for some of the crew. A young member of the crew, able body seamen Charles Cole, took the Captain, William Henry, to court for assault committed by a lethal weapon. The Captain admitted 'kicking, punching and beating with a rope', described as 'correcting him' following Cole's insolence after the loss of a set of sails whilst Cole was at the helm. Cole was then put in irons for the several days without wages. The Captain was acquitted by the court. The case highlights the point Greenhill makes that is, that 'Merchant sailing vessels have become a romance part of the past, however, they were inefficient, dangerous and working conditions were intolerable by today's standards.'

The wreck of regional archaeological and historical interest and was discovered by members of the Sullom Voe Sub Aqua Club and was investigated during the summer of 2001 by the authors with students from the Sullom Voe Sub Aqua club and Lerwick Sub Aqua Club, and as part of a Nautical Archaeology Society (Scotland) training course. A basic understanding the site layout, the vessels identity and wrecking folklore were known prior to the survey. Professional input and focussed research collated and enhanced the available information to gain a proper understanding of the site, the extent of the survival of hull structure and the history of the site. (The project was awarded the George Arnold Trophy, an annual Sub Aqua Association project awarded to the diving club that has demonstrated 'the most interesting, underwater, archaeological project of the year').

The site of the Ayrshire is highly dynamic. It is situated on the south west corner of Muckle Roe island and is exposed to the full force of any weather from a westerly direction with a fetch in excess of 3000 miles. Weather of a south westerly direction drives straight into the geo. The geo consists of hard rock either side of a sandy/gravel bottom. The main part of the site lies in 15/16m of water but extends towards the north and inshore to 6m. Scattered parts of the site lie at the foot of the rocks in a few metres of water.

The site does not form the normal reef environment for fish due to a lack of upstanding structure. The usual pelagic fish species common in Shetland waters were seen including the ubiquitous pollock (Pollachius pollachius), ling (Molva molva) and sand eels (Ammodytes tobianus). Crustacea included green crabs (Carcinus maenas), velvet crabs (Necora puber), edible crabs (Cancer pagurus) and hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus). Of greatest interest were the molluscs; these included buckie's (Buccinum undatum), razor fish (Enisi arcuatus) and what is tentatively identified as a member of the Lucinidae family. The species is not unusual but the fact that all three species were recorded in situ in the overlying gravel/sand and buried into the hull planking highlights the continued biological attack on the remains of the vessel. Little or no fauna was recorded on the remains of the site apart from new growths of kelp (Laminaria hyperborea) and sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca). The mixture of flora and fauna suggests a site that is exposed. The occurrence of such species that do not like exposed shore can be explained by it being the summer and they being relatively new growths. It is unlikely that they would be about either side of the summer period.

The remains of the Ayrshire consist of a piece of the hull centred around the remains of the keel and a number of scattered iron knees and parts of the ships fittings, such as the windless and anchor. The main part of the vessel is at least 12m long and 6m wide. It consists of the remains of the keel (220mm sided), garboard strake and at least another four strakes either side. Only two strakes either side of the keel were exposed but at least four could be postulated after probing. The strake are a standard 300mm sided dimension and at least 50mm moulded. The moulded dimension is not certain due to the obvious grinding down of the upper surface. Evident in the exposed surface of the planking are treenails (30mm diameter), the pattern of which allows estimation of the framing spacing and sided dimension. The frames were at least 300mm sided and spaced between 350 and 400mm.

Standing proud of the seabed are ten copper alloy keel pins. The pins are highlight where the main part of the hull structure lies. They are not evenly spaced, but analysis of the distances between the pins would suggest that a number have been removed. The rough spacing of the pins is 300 and 400mm, approximately the same spacing as the frames.

Lying to the north of the site and further inshore is the ships windlass. This is of standard form for a vessel of this period. The wooden slats of the windless are still evident. This is most probably due to the woods up take of iron salts and sulphide thus protecting it from biological attack. The windlass is 4.15m overall length with drums 1.50m long and two independent central cogs and paws. A single anchor was recorded and mapped. It is of a folding stock type 2.5m long. A number of knee riders, hanging knees of which the vertical leg follows the shape of the hull whilst the horizontal leg is bolted to bottom of deck beam, were also mapped and recorded. The use of such knee riders in ship construction was commonplace by the mid nineteenth century. Their use is also diagnostic of British and Canadian ship building techniques as the Americans still relied on wooden knees. This helps to further confirm the site as the Ayrshire with the absence of such evidence as a ships bell or builders plate.

The Ayrshire was driven up into Ayrshire Geo by her master. She lay in the geo, being pounded by the swell which would eventually break her back, for at least a week before she broke up. Throughout this period it is most likely that she was awash, but being kept afloat by the inherent buoyancy of her cargo. When the vessels structural strength finally gave way the upper works, tied to the wood cargo, separated from the bottom. The bottom part of the vessel sank whilst the upper part floated with the rest of the cargo. The bottom ground into the seabed under the motion of the swell. Broken up, lighter parts of the hull went further into the geo where the wood eventually disappeared (degraded/eaten) leaving the iron knees behind. A knee rider still to be found in a local garden is evidence of salvage by locals. The anchors reported to have been close inshore are possibly those stored on the bows or taken further inshore to help stabilise the vessel.

Once broken up the bottom of vessel was buried by sediments, and any exposed timber suffering from further biological attack. The fact that the remains of the vessel were buried did not stop this process from continuing. A trench was dug across the hull to assess the extent of its remains. It has long been thought that what remained was the ceiling planking with framing and outer hull planking below. After an assessment of the remains and more importantly the macro environment, it can be shown that all that remains is the outer hull planking, the keel, treenails and keel/keelson bolts. The rest of the hull has through time been eroded and degraded via biological and physical attack. This can still be seen today; razor shells and other mollusc's were excavated in situ, 250mm deep, having dug through the heavy gravel to get to the food source below. It is unknown if they were eating the wood directly or bacteria that had colonised the remains of the hull planking. The honeycombing of the wood suggests the former. A lack of lighter sediments, such as mud or fine grain sand, suggest that it is a dynamic environment. It is more than plausible that the site is stripped of its covering gravel during certain heavy weather conditions. If not stripped of its overburden of gravel, then certainly that over burden would move the effect of which would be to grind off the top degraded layer of wood.

The survey and assessment of the wreck site of the Ayrshire has shown the relative ease of operations of such activities on a marine archaeological site. Through the focussed achievement of defined and clear archaeological objectives within a relatively short period of time the site (both its archaeology and burial environment), was surveyed and characterised; in this case 3 days. Complementing this, historical research puts the vessel into its historical chronology/context, with its form and function now being understood. This was achieved through the combination of a well-trained but professionally managed group of amateurs. A pro-active and suitably funded programme of such investigations could enhance the data pertaining to marine sites within the SMR as a whole (at local and national level), bringing them into parity with their terrestrial counterparts. Such a course of action would allow full integration of all archaeological sites into one record irrespective of the environment.

Acknowledgements: all participating members of the Sullom Voe and Lerwick Sub Aqua Clubs; in particular Clive Richardson for organising the course, John Boyd for illuminating conversation on the original finding of the site, and Kevin Thompson for further research into the local history of the wrecking. Support both financial and organisational are acknowledge from Philip Robertson, NAS Scotland, The Shetland Amenity Trust, Royal Commission for Historic and Ancient Monuments Scotland, and Karen Nickoll's for GIS support. Finally Ian Oxley is acknowledged for proofing the first draft of this article.

Information from Dr DM McElvogue (Senior Research Fellow, The Mary Rose Trust, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth) and Mr D Parham (Research Fellow, School of Conservation Science, Bournemouth University), 22 April 2002.

NMRS, MS/829/45.

The following information from an [unspecified] Canadian website appears to fit this vessel:

Vessel Name: AYRSHIRE

Official No.: 9001595

Date: 18450000

Nationality: Canadian

Rigging Style: Barque

Date: 1845

Figurehead?: N

City: Quebec

Province: Quebec

Gross Tonnage: 750

Source Reference: Public Archives - ** RG 42 Volume 1404, ** Original References Vol.# 193 Reel # C-2061.

Remarks: Re-registered at London on December 12, 1845.

Information from Mr Clive Richardson (Diving Officer, Sullom Voe Sub Aqua Club), 5 December 2003.

(Location cited as HU 31274 62647 [N60 20.833 W1 25.998]). This wreck was examined, surveyed and recorded in 2001 and 2002 by divers from the Sullom SAC, air lifts and water dredges being used in the latter year. The hull area and keel pins were recorded by drawing and photography, and the wreck was adopted under the NAS 'Adopt a Wreck' scheme.

The remains of the vessel survive at depths of up about 16m within a geo of hard rock, and on either side of an area of sand and gravel bottom. They comprise a portion of the hull (lying NNE-SSW) centred around the keel, several scattered iron knees, and parts of ship's fittings, including the windlass and anchor.

The main surviving portion measures at least 12m long by 6m broad, and comprises the remains of the keel (of side 220mm), the garboards strake and lengths of at least four other strakes on each side. The strakes are of standard 300mm sided dimension, and at least 50mm moulded. The identification of treenails (of diameter 30mm) allows the framing spacing and sided dimension to be estimated at between 350 and 400mm and at least 300mm respectively. Ten keel pins of copper alloy [size not specified] were found set at uneven spacing of between 300 and 400mm, about the same as that of the frames. Several others have apparently been removed [or otherwise lost].

The remains of the windlass lie to the N of the main site, and inshore. This is of the standard form for a vessel of the period, and measures 4.15m in length with drums 1.5m long and two independent central cogs and paws. A single anchor (of folding-stock type and 2.5m long) was recorded to the W of the wreck. Several iron knee riders were recorded in the surrounding area. Other knee riders survive in re-use in nearby buildings, while a door from the wreck is incorporated into the duck house at Little Ayre farm, Muckle Roe.

This vessel was a typical deep-sea merchant vessel of the mid 19th century. A barque-rigged vessel of 681 tons [presumably grt], she was built in Quebec from oak, elm, tamarac and red pine in about 1845. Her length, beam and 'depth' [of hold] are recorded as 136.9 ft, 31.5 ft and 21 ft respectively. The softwood construction of the vessel would have entailed limited classification and a short service life.

Originally owned by Brown and Co, she was registered in Bristol and commanded by Capt J R Brown; her maiden voyage was from Bristol to Calcutta. She remained in the Indian and Far Eastern trade under the ownership of Brown and Co until 1859, when she was reverted to Hudson and Co, being re-registered at Sunderland and her hull classification reduced to AE1. The vessel ended her service registered in London and under the command of W Terry. While on passage from Quebec under Capt William Henry with a cargo of timber she was forced northwards, anchoring for shelter off the Swarbacks Minn on 24 December 1865. Breakage of her anchor chains resulted in her being driven ashore in Gilsabight; fifteen of the sixteen-strong crew survived.

The materials, rigging, sails and stores of the vessel were salved by 11 January 1866. By 29 January 1866, her vessel had listed over, her topsides being held together by cargo separated from the bottom. The cargo was salved, taken to Busta and re-shipped in the Nina (another barque) on 26 March 1866. Subsequent court proceedings included the trial of the Captain on a charge of assault.

(The location of the wreck is illustrated by chart extracts and air photographs, and by comprehensive survey documentation. The service history of the vessel, a contemporary account of the sinking and selected court documents are quoted. Dive logs are appended, and proposals for further research are also cited. A photocopy of her Lloyd's register form is also attached).

NMRS, MS/1750.

Gilsabight is not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 25 March 2004.