| More information : DESIGNATED WRECK SITE - ST ANTHONY
Summary:
Wreck of ST ANTHONY, Portuguese merchant carrack, which foundered in 1527.
Designation History:
Statutory Instrument: No 1, 1982/47, 15-FEB-1982.
Protected Area: Within 75m radius of position 50 03.40'N., 05
17.10'W.
Visit by Government Diving Contractor:
St. Andrews University - Archaeological Diving Unit (ADU) April 1986 - April 2003
1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998
Wessex Archaeology 1st May 2003 -
2004, 2007
Documentary History:
Primary Sources:
i. Commission to Sir John Arundell, John Arundell Treres, Jas. Erysy and Rob. Vyvean, to inquire touching the robbery of a ship belonging to John king of Portugal, which was wrecked upon the coast of Cornwall in Jan. 18 Hen. VIII. Dated "at our manor [left blank in manuscript] the day of [left blank in manuscript]."
ii. Petition of Francis Person, the king of Portugal's factor, stating that the wreck occurred on Saturday, 20 Jan. 1526* near Gon Walbay, in the hundred of Correar, Cornwall. The ship had merchandise to the value of 16,000l. Most of the people in her were saved, and with the aid of the inhabitants recovered goods to the value of 1,000 ducats the same afternoon; but in the evening they were attacked by John Wylliam, miller, servant to Will. Godolphin, and two servants of John Melenton, captain of the Mount, who robbed them in their masters' names. Next day, being urged to sell the ship's goods, the Portuguese replied that they belonged entirely to the king of Portugal. When they complained of the robbery before certain justices of the peace they were told they could have no redress, as it was the custom of the country. At last the house in which they took refuge being broken into, and themselves put in great danger, Dego de Oliver was induced to sell the goods for fear of worse consequences; after which he was treated as a prisoner by the purchasers, Thos. Sent Albyn, Will. Godolphen and others, who carried him behind them on their horses, and rode about the country with him. On one occasion they made him break in upon his former comrades, and help to rob them of all they had, except their apparel. (19)
[* = dated in manuscript 18 Hen VIII but 1526-7 would have been 17 Hen VIII. At this period the Julian Calendar was in use, with the New Year additionally beginning on 25th March, so that the wreck would have occurred in 1526 according to the contemporary English usage of the Julian Calendar, but 1527 according to the modern reckoning. (20)]
10 Sept. John King of Portugal to Wolsey.
Writes to the KIng to ask restitution of coppper and other goods from a Portuguese ship which was wrecked on the coast of England; Antony Paciecho and 40 men perishing. Hears from Roderick Fernando, his agent in Flanders, that the goods are detained in England, and that his applications have been refused.
Coimbra, 4 id. Sept. 1527. (22)
24 Sept. John, King of Portugal, to Henry VIII.
'Desires restitution of the goods in the ship of Antony Paciecho, which was wrecked on the English coast about a year ago. Asks that they may be given up to Roderic Fernando, his agent in Flanders, or to Francis Perso, who is now in England.'
Coimbra, 8 cal. Oct. 1528. Signed. (21)
Secondary Sources:
The ST ANTHONY was a Portuguese merchant carrack, armed with bronze and iron cannon. She was the property of King John III of Portugal. Sailing under Master Vaal Diego, she was lost in 1527, while on a voyage between Lisbon and Antwerp. The vessel came ashore due to bad weather with a loss of nearly half her crew. The survivors accused some prominent local gentry of robbery with violence. Subsequently two Commissions enquired into the wreck, and the case went to the Court of the Star Chamber. (2)(5)
The ST ANTHONY, a Portuguese carrack, belonging to King John III, was wrecked on 19-JAN-1527 carrying a cargo of copper, jewels, silver, cloth and artillery. (10)(11)
The ST ANTHONY was carrying a general cargo which included: 8000 cakes of copper; 18 cakes of silver; silver vessels and specie; precious stones; tapestry; cloth and linen; 2100 barber's basins; 3200 brass candlesticks; padlocks and weights; pack thread; needles and compasses; musical instruments; 4 complete sets of horse harness for the King; pitch and tar; brass and iron guns and other goods. (5)(9)
Named as the SAN ANTONIO (St. Anthony), of 300 tons; wrecked en route from Lisbon to Antwerp, when her anchors snapped and her master, Antonio Pacheco, deliberately made for towards the lee shore at the eastern end of Loe Bar, with the intention of beaching the vessel, but he struck the same hidden reef which the ANSON was to do centuries later, causing his ship to broach to and be pounded to pieces. (14)
Forty-five men of the crew survived, some of whom came ashore at Gunwalloe. At the time much salvage work was undertaken but no ingots were recorded as recovered. (14)
A selection of the finds are on display at the Charlestown Shipwreck Centre. (9)
NB: As well as the SAN ANTONIO, an alternative version of the vessel's name in modern Portuguese has also been indexed, as SAO ANTONIO.
Armament: bronze and iron cannon (2)(5)
Master: Antonio Pacheco (14); Antony Paciecho (22); Diego (9); Vaal Diego (2)(5)
Crew Lost: approximately half (2)(5), i.e. with 45 survivors, possibly another 45 or so (14); 41 (22)
Owner: King John III [João III] of Portugal (2)(5); Antony Paciecho (21)
Archaeological History:
A number of items were salvaged some time after the incident,
including a silver crucifix and a silver pipe. (2)(4)
1981: A holidaymaker found a copper ingot buried in the sand
providing the first indication that there might be a wreck site in
the area. (2)
The site was indicated by a copper ingot found on the beach. She is buried in sandy gullies, but over 40 copper ingots and a silver "melon" ingot have been recovered, now in the British Museum. (12)
2004: Magnetometer and bathymetric survey by J Roseveare (13)
2007: Wessex Archaeology searched a reef system of exposed bedrock, cut by gullies in the new designated area. (17)
Environmental and Archaeological Remains:
The wreckage is sited amongst rocky outcrops with kelp and mobile sand. The remains lie in 7 metres of water, between 30 and 180 metres offshore from Loe Bar, near Gunwalloe Cove. [Information received prior to receiving site designation correct as at June 2005.]
The topography is relatively flat with deeper gullies between bedrock outcrops and ridges, and coarse sand crests with smaller ripples of finer material have been observed at regular intervals. The general depth is 10 to 15 metres but around the wreck this is generally around 7 to 10 metres, depending on prevailing sand levels. (13)
The site is dynamic, subject to Atlantic swells and substantial movements of material which can alter the seabed topography. (13)
The first ADU dive was carried out according to the co-ordinates supplied by the licensee; the environment corresponded to the licensee's previous recollections, but no archaeological remains were seen and several open areas surveyed for visible remains without success. (13)
Extensive magnetometer survey were then carried out in the vicinity of the existing designated area and the alleged location of the wreck, with one significant anomaly found north of the designated area, which, on subsequent investigation, proved to be the remains of a small steel vessel. (13)
The reef area with exposed bedrock, cut by gullies, lying within the new designated area, was explored in 2007. This area extends both north and west of the area surveyed in 2004, and included areas just above the low water mark. The area is subject to high wave energy and strong sediment depletion following periods of extreme weather, which is likely to result in the movement and potential loss of archaeological deposits.
The "new" area searched in 2007 is one of scattered artefacts rather than a coherent wreck site. The small metal finds located in this area are consistent with inorganic items of high density which are most likely to survive the prevailing variable environmental conditions. (17)
Finds:
Finds include copper and silver ingots (one silver and 5 copper, which are in the British Museum), shot, sounding lead and a candle holder. A selection of artefacts from the site are on public display in the Charlestown Shipwreck Museum. (1)(3)(6)(16)
Parts of the early 16th century rood screen are preserved in the
Church of St. Winwaloe, Gunwalloe, and the screen is said to have been made from wreckage from the ST ANTHONY of Lisbon, wrecked nearby. (15)
A number of small finds were located by metal detector surveys of the reefs and gullies in the search area. These finds were thought to be modern in origin. A number of ferrous metal concretions were encountered, but are too heavily concreted to assess. Some of these concretions may be debris from the wreck of the BRANKELOW [see....]
A number of 16th century artefacts were observed, thought to be derived material transported by wave action, with the exception of two lead musket balls, found embedded in a small ferrous concretion adhering to a boulder and loosely wedged in a small fissure in the reef. Similar items have been recovered from the ST ANTHONY site from previous investigations.
A copper alloy object thought to be contemporary with the ST ANTHONY, possibly a musket fitting, was also recovered in 2007. (17)
A lead die shot, broken, missing its iron core; a small roll of sheet lead (may not be from the same period); a copper alloy eyelet (likely to be modern debris); a small, shaped copper alloy object, possibly from a musket stock, recovered under contract to DCMS to be conserved at Fort Cumberland. Found among rocky reefs, in position 50 03.6N 005 16W. (Droit 244/07) (18)
Additional sources:
St.Ch.2/19/293
British Museum Collection
British Library Cotton Nero B I folio 72 (autograph letters)
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