A large wooden wreck is located at the southern end of Kenfig Sands, to the south of Gwely'r Misgl.

The wreck was recorded during RCAHMW aerial reconnaissance on 16th March 2007 (image refs: AP_2007_0485-7) when it was exposed and visible. The wreck appears to be lying on its side within the sand, generally aligned north/south along the beach, with many of its beams visible, and the lower hull/keel on the seaward side of the wreck remains.

The site was visited by RCAHMW on 19th April 2023, but was mostly buried with only the ends of four frames/beams visible. These covered an area 14m (46ft) in length and 8m (26m) in width. The most northerly of these was formed from heavily concreted iron. The location of the site was updated following this visit.

The wreck has been associated with the documented loss of the PLANTERS WELVAART (NPRN 240740) in 1770, and by Tom Bennett with the documented loss of the PERSEVERANCE (NPRN 273729) in 1793. Furthermore, it seems likely that this wreck corresponds to another report of a wooden wreck in roughly this area (NPRN 240169), that was originally identified from aerial photographs in the 1970s and is classified as an Obstruction (Foul Ground) by the UKHO (ID 12495).

Sources include:

Bennett, T., Wrecks on Welsh Beaches. pp 36-37.

Glamorgan Gwent Historic Environment Record PRN 08913m https://archwilio.org.uk/her/chi3/report/page.php?watprn=GGAT08193m

UKHO ID 12495: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.

J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, April 2023.

Site Record

Gwely'r Misgl Wreck (UKHO 12495)