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 FRIENDS was built as a trow in 1834 by Hezekiah Swift, a timber merchant of Monmouth, at Brockweir. The trow was registered new at Chepstow on 18 November 1834, when it was described as a single masted, open-decked trow of 104tons. On Hezekiah Swift's death in 1842, the vessel passed to Benjamin Swift, also a merchant of Monmouth. The FRIENDS was transferred to Bridgwater in 1844 and the ownership of Hercules Towells of Bridgwater. At time of loss on 28 September 1859, the vessel had been decked and re-rigged as a schooner to allow longer coastal voyages to be made. The FRIENDS was carrying a cargo of timber when it was caught in a southwesterly force 8 gale.

Sources include:
Board of Trade Harbours of Refuge Inquiries 1859 pg 121(563)
Board of Trade Wreck Return 1859 Table 19 pg25 (529)
Farr, G, 1954, Chepstow Ships pg137
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002


Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, December 2009.