Archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel are not confirmed as present at this location, but may be in the vicinity.

Event and Historical Information:
The SYLPH was a wooden brigantine built at Newquay, Cardiganshire, in 1855 by Owen Owens. Technical and configuration specifications are given as145 2396/3500 tons burthen; 80.9ft length x 20.2ft breadth x 11.8ft depth in hold; 1 deck, 2 masts, brigantine rigged with a standing bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built, and a woman full figurehead, framework and planking wood; official number 9806. The vessels was owned by a large consortium of local people (number of shares in brackets) - John Evans of Newquay, master mariner (10); Jones Jones of Pendena (8) and John Owen of Cilie (4) both of the parish of Llandysuliogogo, farmers; Morgan Evans (2), Evan Evans (2), Francis Evans (2), and Evan Jones (2) master mariners; John Jones sailmaker (2); William Jones, ironmonger (2) Thomas Owen, smith (2) all of Newquay; Thomas Owen of Pantglyhir (2) and John Evans of Morfagwyn (2) all of the parish of Llandysiliogogo, farmer; John Thomas of Hengyrynt, parish of Henfenyio, famer (4); David Jones of Aberaeron, ironmonger (2); Grifith Morris of Piollelas, pairhs of Penbryn, farmer (2); Rees Thomas of Pimlico, London, milkman (4); John Strong (4) and William Reed (4) both of Liverpool, shipbrokers; Evan Evans of Gogobofawr, parish of Llandysiliogogo, farmer (2). The SYLPH was driven ashore near Conway during the Royal Charter Gale of 25-26 October 1859.
The newspaper Baner Amerau Cymru reported "...the crew and the captain's wife having clung to the rigging for hours, the remainder of the vessel being under water, and the sea so violent that none could reach them, though in the afternoon the coastguards succeeded in bringing them all safely to shore and they were taken to the Erkine Arms to recover..."
The SYLPH's ship registration documentation notes that the vessel was remeasured in late February 1860 and registered anew because of a change in dimensions. This suggests that it underwent major repair/rebuild after the gale, before continuing in service. The SYLPH abandoned in a sinking condition in latitude 52 36N, longitude 2 51 E (in North Sea) on the 12 October 1881.

Sources include:
Passmore, S, 1982, Farmers and Figureheads: The Port of New Quay and its Hinterland, pg69-70
Port of Aberystwyth Shipping Register 1853-1855, Ceredigion Archives AT/SHIP/4, folio 78
Port of Aberystwyth Shipping Register 1855 - 1862, Ceredigion Archive Service AT/SHIP/5 folio 142
Wynne-Jones, I, 2001, Shipwrecks of North Wales, 4 ed, pg99

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, August 2013.