Archaeological remains associated with the EARLSCOURT are not confirmed at this location, but may be present in the vicinity. The vessel was refloated following its stranding on Margam Sands in 1886. Archaeological material relating to the stranding, salvage, unloading of cargo, etc., may be present in the area.
Event and Historical Information:
The EARLSCOURT was a 3-masted iron barque, built in 1885 by Russell and Co. at Greenock (Yard No. 136). The vessel was 1166 grt., 214.6ft in length, 35.6ft wide, and 21.25ft depth. At the time of loss the ship was owned by Messrs Kidd and Fleming of Liverpool and commanded by Master Frampton.
The EARLSCOURT left Newport (Gwent) on Saturday 4 December 1886 bound for Albany, western Australia with a cargo of railway bars, nuts & bolts, and similar items, under the command of master Frampton. The ship passed Lundy at about 2am on Monday 6 December but encountered increasing wind, and eventually a gale which was 'bearing down the channel in full force'. The ship was forced to run before it, passing Lundy again (in the other direction) on the morning of Tuesday 7 December. As there was no sign of abatement, upon consultation between Captain and crew it was decided to make for Penarth Roads, but the storm now raged so furiously that the captain was unable to take his bearings. Most of the sails had gone and the EARLSCOURT was at times almost unmanageable.
The first glimpse of the shore was the sight of some furnaces. Waves were now breaking over the barque and by this time the cabin was smashed to pieces, as was the large lifeboat. The crew were unable to send up a rocket, as all the stores were soaked with water, and though they tried to attract attention from the shore by lighting a mattress, it would not burn. The decision was taken to beach the ship and when the barque struck shore the crew took to the rigging, as waves were breaking over the ship to such an extent that they could not stand on deck. It was hailing, and nearly all the crew were barefoot. Despite all this, the bosun, an old and experienced sailor, 'cooly got up into the foretop, took a blanket up with him, folded it round him, and went to sleep'. The first mate, who had become delirious due to the stress of events, had been taken into the mizzen rigging. He soon became so wild that some of the crew lashed him to it. A little later he freed himself, pushed away from the rigging, fell to the deck, and was washed overboard. The crew remained in the rigging for eleven hours. At around 7am the tide had gone out and the EARLSCOURT was left high and dry. The cabin boy and an apprentice were found dead in the rigging and another member of the crew also died.
A custom house official assisted in bringing the crew ashore. They were taken by cart to Morfa Manor farm, Port Talbot, which was the only house within four miles distance. The parish vicar, T P Williamson, was at the farmhouse to assist. 'Captain Frampton, the second mate, and the others were all put to bed, and the people at the farm did everything in their power for us. They had to sleep on chairs, for all the beds were taken up by us- the living and dead. The clergyman sent for the nearest doctor, and they continued to try and restore animation' A report in the Western Mail interviewed one of the ship's apprentices, who said "This is my second voyage and I think it will be my last. Had it been my first I believe I should have died like the others from fright and exposure. The sailors say they were never in a more seaworthy ship, and never sailed under a kinder or braver commander than captain Frampton".
The ship is reported by the South Wales Echo to have run ashore in an area known as Morfa Mawr, further locational information is provided by the reference to Morfa Manor farm being the only house within four miles of the wreck site.
By the night of Thursday 8th December the EARLSCOURT, as reported by the South Wales Echo, as breaking up and was expected by become a total wreck. Despite this gloomy prognosis, a second attempt to refloat the vessel in January 1887 was successful and the EARLSCOURT was towed to Swansea, its cargo having been unloaded onto Margam Sands. The vessel's registration was continued with further documentary references to it within the Lloyds Register archives in 1898, and its register entry was eventually closed in 1905.
Sources include:
Lloyds Register Documentation: https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-library/ships/earlscourt-1885/
South Wales Echo, 10th December 1886, p. 2. https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4407303/4407305/6/
South Wales Daily News, 11th January 1887, p. 3 https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3664688/3664691/33/
Western Mail, 4 January 1887, issue 5503
J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, December 2023.