Site Record

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 MORRISTON was a wooden smack built in 1843 at Milford. Technical and configuration specifications are given as 36gt; 46.7ft length x 16.6ft breadth x 8ft depth; 1 deck, 1 mast, smack rigged, square stern, carvel built, framework wood; official number 9719. The smack transferred from the port of Aberystwyth to Newport in August 1867. Transactions on the Newport register reveal that the initial owner was Ann Speary, widow of Newport. Subsequently owners include William Lloyd of Newport, general carrier, and William Simon Rees of Newport, also a general carrier. At time of loss on 18 December 1880, the vessel was owned by the Newport Dry Dock Company Ltd and was under the command of master T Cope. The smack had been unloading a cargo of coal picked up in Liverpool whilst beached at Church Bay. A westerly force 8 gale blew up and caused the vessel to become stranded and ultimately to be lost.

Sources include:
Board of Trade Wreck Return 1880 Appendix Parts I-IV pg117 (387)
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Port of Newport Shipping Register 1855-1868, Gwent Archives D1847/3, folio 186
Port of Newport Shipping Register 1868-1876, Gwent Archives D1847/4, folio 27 in transactions at back of volume

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, November 2009.