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Nash sand bank is five miles from our part of the South Wales coast, stretching one mile wide and eight miles long. The sand was deposited during the last ice age and lies in 20 metre high "waves."
Ben-y-gloe
The ship Ben-y-gloe bound for Singapore from Penarth was a full-rigged iron ship which was wrecked when it ran aground at Nash Point near Marcross in 1886. People from many miles away went to plunder the wreck and the police searched the area in an attempt to locate the loot. Farm workers hid the ship's ropes underground when they were ploughing, articles were hidden under a chapel pulpit in Wick and a sail was placed in a culvert at Llandow. Irish Farm worker Tommy Burke took the sail to the home of Mrs. Mary Preece in Llandow who took in sewing for 9d a day and she made a jacket from it. A maid cut a piece off the sleeve to make a duster and Tommy promptly had it sewn back on again. Tommy, who lodged with Mr. & Mrs. Davies who kept the Post Office, would walk 15 miles to Cardiff for Mass and then back again, leaving the jacket (which he wore when hedging and ditching) behind the door. There it stayed after his death until the house was being cleared by their son, Jack. A tramp from Monknash was nicknamed Ben-y-gloe because of the amount he had taken from the ship and a cottage was known by the same name because a large amount of tobacco was found buried in the garden. Lord Dunraven sent food to the ship's crew and invited them to visit. They presented Lord Dunraven with the ship's bell and binnacle (the housing for a ship's compass) which were sent to his home in Ireland following the demolition of the castle.
Malleny
Portuguese vessel Malleny was an iron ship bound for Rio with a cargo of Welsh coal. It was lost with all hands in 1886 when she hit Tuskar Rock. Bodies of the seamen were washed up on the shore at Southerndown, Marcross and St. Donats, and gravestones were erected in the churchyards where they were buried, including St. Bridget's. Carpenter Edwin Waters had been paid off at Amsterdam on 8th September, 1886, a fact which was not yet known to his family in Appledore, Devon, so that when he arrived home they were all in mourning and wearing black. The name-plate of the Malleny was washed up at Westward Ho! in Devon* and his grandson bought it for 5 shillings and took it home. The remains of the ship between the rock and the shore could still be seen until 1979 when they were blown up by the military.
* After the flood disaster at Boscastle, Cornwall, which occurred on Monday, 16th August, 2004, a boat from the area washed ashore at Porthcawl and along the Heritage Coast a number of different items were found such as "Boscastle Tourist," "Fish & Chips" and "Car Park" signs, giving an indication of the strength of the Bristol Channel currents.
Frolic Steamer
Frolic, an early wooden, single cylinder steam powered vessel, was bought by 10 enterprising businessmen from Bristol, who ran the General Steam Packet Service. They started a cargo service carrying small packets and goods on a regular run from West Wales to Bristol, also picking up Irish trade coming into Milford Haven. It was one of the first paddle steamers to be operated in the Bristol Channel as a ferry service and was very popular because before the age of the railway it was quicker to travel by sea than road.
Sailing from Haverfordwest during a violent storm on the night of 16th March, 1831 the 34 metre, 108 ton craft came to grief on Nash sands. The gale force wind was against the tide and this probably overloaded the small 80 hp engine. In all, 78 lives were lost, consisting of 63 passengers, including high ranking officers and a General, many women and children, and 15 crew. Army officers Colonel Gordon and General McLeod were on board but as there was no passenger list many who lost their lives were unknown. There was a public outcry and it was this tragedy that led to the Nash Point Lighthouses being built by Trinity House in 1832 to warn shipping of the danger. Designed by James Walker, Engineer in Chief, the two towers (which are 302 metres / 1,000 feet apart) originally had fixed lights. When navigating the Bristol Channel the pilot would sail so that these were lined up in his sights, ensuring that the vessel would be south of Nash Sandbank. At the beginning of the 19th century the low light was removed, although the tower remains.
(Additional information courtesy of Tom Bennett and Phil Carradice on BBC Radio Wales “The Past Master” programme in 2003.)
Left photo: Tower (which once housed the west or low light) and cottages for the lighthouse keepers
Middle photo: Tower
Right photo: East light and fog horn
Nash Point Lighthouse was the last manned lighthouse in Wales to go automatic when it became computer controlled in 1998. The keepers left two years later.
The Gower Pride
On 24th August 2004, the RNLI boat Giles* was launched from Porthcawl lifeboat station and saved the lives of two fishermen, one of whom was injured, from the sea during a gale and a 10 ft / 3 metre swell. The Gower Pride was battling to stay afloat off the local coastline after the treacherously strong currents had caused the vessel to become stuck on Nash sandbank following engine failure. At one point the Gower Pride was thrown against the lifeboat when it was hit by a large breaking wave on the starboard side. During the dramatic rescue in atrocious conditions the tow rope hauling the boat to safety broke and a new tow had to be attached. The fishing boat was then dragged into deeper water and a larger lifeboat that had been called to assist took over whilst the Giles took the injured man ashore to be treated in hospital.
In November 2004 it was announced that Nursery teacher Aileen Jones, volunteer helmswoman, would be honoured for her bravery and awarded the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s Bronze Medal for Gallantry - the first time since 1888 that a woman crew member had received a decoration. In addition, Crew Member Simon Emms was accorded the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum; Steven Knipe and Mark Burtonwood were presented with Medal Service Badges and Certificates; and Coxswain Martin Double of The Mumbles lifeboat received a letter of appreciation signed by RNLI Chief Executive, Andrew Freemantle.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent presented Mrs Jones with her medal on Thursday, 19th May, 2005 at a ceremony held in the Barbican Centre in Central London.
* Porthcawl's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat named after the late Sunday Express cartoonist Carl Giles who raised money for the RNLI by the sale of special Christmas cards featuring his drawings.
The Porthcawl Lifeboat has saved the lives of many people, such those who have been cut off by the tide, become stuck in mud or swept into the sea, jet skiers, surfers and swimmers who have underestimated the power of the undercurrents or been caught in the riptide, fishermen overwhelmed by storms, and vessels that have suffered engine failure. Some of the more unusual rescues have occurred when drivers have taken vehicles through the River Ogmore at low tide and become stuck. These circumstances have called for the services of the Fire Brigade although in many cases the fast flowing tide has caused the attempt to be abandoned until it has turned and, usually, taken the vehicle out to sea.
In 2004, the RNLI rescued 7,507 people.
During gale force winds on Wednesday, 27th December, 2007 a fisherman was swept off Witches Point, Dunraven Bay and became the first known person to be successfully rescued after being washed off the notoriously dangerous rocks. The flotation suit he was wearing enabled him to survive 20 minutes in the water whilst awaiting rescue by the Porthcawl lifeboat team who had been summoned by his friend.
Visit Porthcawl Lifeboat web site for information on local wrecks and rescues or the RNLI
Visit Trinity House web site for information on lighthouses.
When both lights you see ahead,
Port your helm and show your red.
Green to green or red to red,
Perfect safety go ahead.
But if to starboard red appear,
It is your duty to keep clear.
To act as judgment says it proper,
To port or starboard back or stop her.
But when upon your port is seen
A steamer’s starboard light of green,
There’s not so much for you to do,
For green to port keeps clear of you.
Both in safety and in doubt,
Always keep a good look out.
When in danger with no room to turn,
Ease her, stop her, go astern.
There are many tales of smugglers and ship wreckers who looted stricken vessels and lured sailors to their doom. It is said that sometimes lanterns were attached to sheep on the cliffs to mislead those at sea because when a light was seen bobbing about at night or in bad weather it was taken to be another ship sailing nearer the land. Mariners would then believe that there was a channel of safe water between them. In the 1750s a law was passed that "those who wreck by false light shall be put to death." A huer (meaning shout) was the person who kept a lookout and on seeing land or another vessel would cry out - giving rise to the expression hue and cry.
And don't forget to look at the Weather gallery!!!
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