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Mersy: Eilean An Roin Mor, North Minch
Schooner (19th Century)
Site Name Mersy: Eilean An Roin Mor, North Minch
Classification Schooner (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Eilean An Roin Beag; 'on Roan Island'; Island Dean; 'ten Miles Sw Of Cape Wrath'; Atlantic; Mersy
Canmore ID 295107
Site Number NC15NE 8004
NGR NC 17 58
NGR Description NC c. 17 58
Datum Datum not recorded
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/295107
- Council Highland
- Parish Maritime - Highland
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NC15NE 8004 c. 17 58
N58 28 W5 8
NLO: Eilean an Roin Beag [name: NC 173 584]
Eilean an Roin Mor [name: NC 180 587]
Cape Wrath [name: NC 256 750].
(Classified as wooden schooner, with cargo of salt: date of loss cited as 9 September 1878). Mersy: this vessel stranded on Roan Island (Island Dean?), ten miles SW of Cape Wrath. Capt. Mencar.
Registration: Fowey. Built 1839. 188 tons register.
(Location of loss cited as N58 28.50 W5 8.00).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location and map sheet assigned to this record are essentially arbitrary. It remains unclear whether the vessel stranded on Eilean an Roin Beag or Eilean an Roin Mor; the latter is significantly larger, and is preferred accordingly.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 2 July 2008.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 5773
Name : MERSY
Latitude : 582830
Longitude : 50800
Date Built : 1839
Registration : FOWEY
Type : SCHOONER (WOOD)
Tonnage : 188
Tonnage Code : R
Loss Day : 9
Loss Month : 9
Loss Year : 1878
Comment : Stranded on Roan Island (Island Dean?), 10 mls SW of Cape Wrath. Capt. Mencar
Cargo : SALT
Diver Inspection (13 August 2013)
A possible wreck site at Eilean an Ròin was reported to the SAMPHIRE project by recreational divers Derek and Kay Dillon. They described the discovery of copper bolts on the seabed.
The coordinates provided were estimated to be accurate to within 5 metres and place the findspot within the southern part of the gully between Eilean an Ròin Mor and Eilean an Ròin Beag. A number of copper pins/nails of various were recovered during the dive. The largest object is 750mm long by 23mm diameter. A total of three were collected, a further two or three were left in situ.
The dimensions of the pins were:
1) 260mm long X 26mm diameter.
2) 470mm X 20 – 23mm.
3) 760mm X 22 – 24mm.
No deliberate markings were visible on any of the objects. They were recovered from a depth of 3 to 5 metres. The site was noted as having no current, and the seabed was described as being made up of boulders and thick kelp.
The presence of copper pins suggests that there is likely to be a wreck of a wooden vessel somewhere in this vicinity. There are two unlocated recorded losses in the RCAHMS database in this area, the Mersy, a wooden schooner of 188 tons built in 1839 and lost in 1878 and the Gem, also a wooden schooner, of 60 tons built in 1852 and lost in 1874. Copper bolt were used below the water line in 19th century wooden hulled ships but the diameter of the bolts suggests they may be from a larger vessel than either of these.
Coordinates: 217674, 958242
Accuracy: 5m
