Saint Conan: Arranman's Barrels, Polliwilline Bay, Kintyre, Firth Of Clyde

SAINT COWAN, 719 tons gross. Built 1917. Bound from Ayr to Sligo with a cargo of about 600 tons coal. Owners J & A Gardner & Co Ltd, Glasgow. Vessel went ashore 2.30am 30 August in Pollywilline [Polliwilline] Bay, Kintyre during fog. Attempts to refloat unsuccessful, considered a total loss.

Source: Glasgow University Business Archives, UGD95/1/1/4 Glasgow Salvage Association, minutes 30 Aug 1939, page 442.

(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of coal: former name cited as Princetown, and date of loss as 30 August 1939). Saint Conan: this vessel stranded at Arranman's Barrels. Capt. Carmichael.

Registration: Port Glasgow. Built 1917. 719grt. Length: 58m. Beam: 9m.

(Location of loss cited as N55 19.42 W5 33.23).

I G Whittaker 1998.

Horizontal Datum = OGB

Orientation of keel/wreck = 085/265

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The steamship ST CONNAN was en route from Ayr to Sligo carrying 600 tons of coal, when she ran ashore in fog. A salvage attempt was made, starting on the 4 October 1939. During course of the attempt, the SS KINSOL sank beside her.

Report by T W Jones.

Surveying Details

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1974. The wreck of the SS CONNAN is believed to be as this location. She was blown ashore and wrecked.

Report taken from a letter dated 27 October 1974 by G Mccallum.

20 July 1981. The site at 55 19 25N, 005 33 11W is reported to be the wreck of the ST CONAN. The vessel's length is 110 feet (33.5 metres) and beam 30 feet (9.1 metres). The bows are 1 metre below the waterline at low water springs. The site is on a heading 085 degrees (magnetic) from Arranman Barrels.

Report by T W Jones, July 1981.

22 March 1982. The second wreck, which must be the KINSOL, which lies alongside the ST CONAN on the Arranman Barrels.

Report by T W Jones, 12 March 1982.

1 May 1986. The site was not found. Wreckage may exist within the heavy kelp growth and rocky gullies.

Report by HMS BULLDOG.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):

A1328 maker's plate [inscription not cited]: from seabed.

NMRS, MS/829/35.

The location cited by UKHO is accepted. Arranman's Barrels are not noted on the 1997 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map, but the name appears to apply to the offshore rock that is noted as Oitir Mor on the SE side of the Mull of Kintyre between Polliwilline Bay and Macharioch Bay.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 12 June 2002.

The current edition of the OS (GIS) MasterMap notes Arranman's Barrels as a group of small stacks to the NW of Oitir Mor.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 4 May 2009.

Whittaker ID : 1785

Name : SAINT CONAN (EX. PRINCETOWN)

Latitude : 551925

Longitude : 53314

Date Built : 1917

Registration : PORT GLASGOW

Type : SS (STEEL)

Tonnage : 719

Tonnage Code : G

Length : 58

Beam : 9

Draught : 3m

Position : Position Approximate

Loss Day : 30

Loss Month : 8

Loss Year : 1939

Comment : Stranded at Arranmans Barrels. Capt. Carmichael

Cargo : COAL

UKHO Identifier : 003891

Feature Class : Wreck

Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck

State : DEAD

Classification : Unclassified

Position (Lat/long) : 55.32361,-5.55306

Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)

WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.32360,-5.55412

WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)

Position Quality : Precisely known

Depth Quality : Depth unknown

Water Depth : 10

Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs

Name : ST CONAN

Type : SS

Flag : BRITISH

Length : 57.6

Beam : 8.8

Draught : 3.4

Orientation : 85.0

Tonnage : 719

Tonnage Type : Gross

Cargo : 600 TONS COAL

Date Sunk : 30/08/1939

Bottom Texture : Gravel

Contact Description : Entire wreck

Original Sensor : Video Sensor

Original Detection Year : 1974

Original Source : Other

Circumstances of Loss : **PASSAGE AYR FOR SLIGO. RAN ASHORE IN FOG. SALVAGE ATTEMPT MADE STARTING 4.10.39, WHEN SS KINSOL SANK BESIDE HER. (T W JONES).

**BUILT IN 1917 BY J P RENOLDSON, SOUTH SHIELDS. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY J & A GARDNER & CO., GLASGOW. RAN AGROUND AT FULL SPEED ON ARRANMAN'S BARRELS DUE TO NAVIGATION ERROR THE VESSEL NOT CHANGING COURSE BECAUSE THE MATE IN CHARGE FELL ASLEEP. (ARGYLL SHIPWRECKS)

Surveying Details : **H1287/74 BELIEVED TO BE WK OF SS CONNOW BLOWN ASHORE AND WRECKED. (G MCCALLUM, LTR 27.10.74). INS AS FOUL. BR STD.

**H1310/81/17 20.7.81 REPD AS WK OF ST CONAN IN 551925N, 053311W [OGB]. LENGTH 110FT [33MTRS], BEAM 30FT [9MTRS]. BOWS ARE 1MTR BELOW WATERLINE AT LWS. HEADING 085DEG (M) FROM ARRANMAN BARRELS. (T W JONES, LTR DTD 7.81). AMENDEDTO DW. BR STD.

**H1310/82/10 22.3.82 DETAILS OF SHIP AND CARGO PROVIDED. SECOND WRECK, WHICH MUST BE THE KINSOL, LIES ALONGSIDE ST CONAN ON THE ARRANMAN BARRELS. (T W JONES, LTR DTD 12.3.82).

**H2885/83 1.5.86 NOT FOUND. WRECKAGE MAY EXIST WITHIN HEAVY KELP GROWTH AND ROCKY GULLIES. (HMS BULLDOG, HI 165B). DELETE. BR STD.

POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE

**19.3.10 LIES ON N SIDE OF ARRANMAN'S REEF. WK WAS HEAVILY SALVAGED & IS WELL DISPERSED. BOILER LIES IN 12MTRS AT BOTTOM OF THE REEF ON SHINGLE SEABED, WITH REST OF WK SCATTERED AROUND IT. (ARGYLL SHIPWRECKS, PUBLISHED 1994) NCA.

Chart Symbol : DW

Date Last Amended : 15/03/2006

The Saint Conan is recorded as having been built in 1917 by J P Renoldson, South Shields (Moir and Crawford 1997: 55).

Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology), 27/11/2014.

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