The remains of a wooden wreck, identified as the FRANCIS BEDDOE, are exposed near the high-water mark of Pendine beach within MOD controlled area. The bow is buried in the sand, and the rudder is to seaward end. The vessel's windlass is exposed towards the bow, and a rune of frame ends are visible demarcating both sides of the wreck. Sand levels vary on the site, but a significant portion of the ship's hull is likely to be preserved within the buried areas of the site, likely including the keel, keelson, deadwood, floors, lower futtocks, mast-step and other fistures and fittings. A series of concrete blocks, forming some sort of sea-defence lie directly to the north of the ship and when installed (after the ship was wrecked), lie directly against the port bow of the visible remains.

Copies of two contemporary postcards (N.M.R. Collections: Thomas Lloyd Carmathenshire Album, TL1/107 and Wrecks Collection) show, in all probability, the boat to have been recently wrecked in the 1920s. The vessel is two masted, with a bowsprit, the main mast having been removed or destroyed. The wreck is grounded high on the beach, in a very similar position and orientation. It is reported to have been salvaged for useable timber following its loss.

The RCAHMW undertook a site visit on 31/01/2025 which included a photogrammetry survey of the site (links below). Sand levels were relatively high, but the overall shape and disposition of the wreck could be easily discerned.

The wreck sits on an even keel, orientated 075 (bow)/155 (stern) degrees. It is 17.6m in length from the outside of the stem-post to the outside of the stern-post, and a width of 5.08m. The stem-post is 125mm sided and 200mm moulded. The top of what is probably a stem-post knee is visible directly aft of it, with a corroded iron bolt head forming the attachment between the knee and the stem-post.

The stern-post comprises two timbers; identifiable as an inner and outer stern-post. Both timbers are 180mm sided by 200mm moulded. The inner stem-post carries a rabbet for the hood-ends of the outer planks to fit into. Timber conversion on both timbers is even, with the centre of the original tree/branch being centred on the fitted timber when seen in section.

The remains of the rudder are still in situ, turned at a slight angle towards the port side of the ship. It is made from three visible parts. The closed to the stern is 200mm in length by 180mm width, the largest timber is attached to this, 330mm in length and tapering from 190mm at the forward end, to 150mm at the aft end. A further fragmentry piece of wood is loacted astern.

Frame ends are visible on either side of the wreck, and where non-degraded timber was visible, they were generally square in section; 150mm sided and 120-150mm moulded. Their centre-to-centre spacing was difficult to discern due to the extent of burial, coupled with degredation of the exposed ends, but varied from c. 210mm, to c. 400mm. Iron reinforcements are visible in two places on the port side of the vessel, which are likely to represent some sort of frame strap rider, fitted over the ceiling planks and bolted through into the frames. The extant straps were 76mm sided by 25mm moulded.

Hull planking was exposed in the port quarter are of the wreck. Ceiling planking measured 180mm wide and 50mm thick. Outer planking widths could not be measured, but were also 50mm thick. the visible ceiling planking is likely made from a softwood such as pine, and is a visibly different colour to the frame timbers. Finally, the drum of the vessel's windlass is still present towards the bow of the ship, largely buried, this measures 0.43m from side to side. A further piece of ironwork, probably related to the windlass lies slightly aft of the windlass drum.

Event and Historical Information

The FRANCIS BEDDOE was a wooden ketch built in 1877 at Saundersfoot by Read (Official No. 70557). The vessel was 43 grt, 60.4ft (18.4m) length, 17.6ft (5.36m) breadth and 7.8ft (2.4m) depth. It is described by the Lloyds Register as being fastened with iron bolts, and having a single deck. It was originally registered at Milford Haven (1877/4) under the ownership of Mrs B.M. Beddoe (Mercantile Navy List) or Mrs F. Beddoe (Lloyds Register) of Saundersfoot. The vessel was sold in 1891 or 92 and re-registered at Bideford. Its last owner was Alfred Galsworthy of Marine Parade, Appledore, as listed in the Mercantile Navy List and Lloyds Register for 1924. The vessel is noted by the Lloyds Register as having been wrecked in March 1924, which corresponds to the photographic evidence for its abadonment/loss at Pendine in the 1920s (above). Some sources add further detail that the wreck took place in fog. All the crew made it safely ashore.

An historic photo of the FRANCIS BEDDOE, at Appledore, is held by the North Devon Maritime Museum (link below).

Sources include:

Historic Environment Record, PRN 114720: https://archwilio.org.uk/her/chi3/report/page.php?watprn=DAT114720

Lloyds Register of Shipping, 1878, F480: https://archive.org/details/HECROS1878/page/n405/mode/2up

Lloyds Register of Shipping, 1924, Sailing, 01783: https://archive.org/details/HECROS1924SV/page/n119/mode/2up

Mercantile Navy List, 1877, 1891, 1892, 1924 via Crewlist.org.uk: https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/vesselsalpha?shipsearch=Francis+Beddoe&SearchType=Exact&submit=search

NMR Collections: Thomas Lloyd Carmarthenshire Album, TL1/107

North Devon Maritime Museum, "Ships Moored Off the Quay": https://ehive.com/collections/4558/objects/164862/sailing-ships-moored-off-quay

RCAHMW Photogrammetry Survey, DS2025_125, 31/01/2025. View here: https://skfb.ly/p9syI

J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, February 2025.