| Summary : Remains of part of 1691 wreck of English Second Rate Ship of the Line, which sprang a leak and capsized, this section foundering off Rame Head, on returning to Plymouth from a Channel patrol. The wreck lies in two parts and at the time there were conflicting accounts as to what had happened, some eyewitnesses stating that she had capsized and foundered, others that she had stranded. It is possible that she parted as she went down, or, alternatively, that she struck the land and broke up, with one part going to sea. For the site now known as the CORONATION INSHORE site, please see 1082130. The sites are designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, and also form part of a dive trail instituted in 2011. Constructed of wood in 1685, the CORONATION was a sailing warship, which had taken part in the Battle of Beachy Head (1582844) the previous year. |
More information : DESIGNATED WRECK SITE - CORONATION (OFFSHORE)
Summary:
Offshore section of wreck from the CORONATION, 90-gun 2nd Rate ship of the line.
Designation History:
Statutory Instrument (Offshore): No 2, 1978/321, 31-MAR-1978
Protected Area (Offshore): Within 150m radius of position 50
18.57'N., 04 11.98'W.
Visit by Government Diving Contractor:
St. Andrews University - Archaeological Diving Contractor (ADU) April 1986 -April 2003
1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998
Wessex Archaeology 1st May 2003 -
Documentary History:
This is the offshore section of the wreck from the English 90-gun, 2nd rate ship of the line, CORONATION. She was built in Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1685. Commanded by Captain C Skelton, her armament included 26 x 32lb demi-cannon, 26 x 18lb culverins, 26 x 9lb sakers and 12 x 6lb light sakers. (4)(7)
Colledge gives 26 x 34pdr, 26 x 18pdr, 26 x 6pdr, 12 x 3pdr. (8)
Her crew would normally have been 660 men together with a detachment of marines. However, when she sank she was not carrying her full complement. Around 600 men including the Captain drowned, and only 22 men got ashore alive.
The CORONATION had been on patrol with the Channel Fleet, when the weather had turned bad and she had run for Plymouth Sound, hoping to gain shelter from the oncoming SSE gales. The actual details of her loss are unclear. The Admiralty Report stated that '...ye CORONATION, which was oversett off ye Ramhead, on ye Coast of Cornwall. Resolved, that the opinion of the Court is, that by a Butt-head starting, or some Planke giving way Shee sprung a Leake, and thereby was lost.' It seems Skelton knew of this leak and had ordered the masts cut, but it had been to no avail and she had capsized.
It is unclear how the wreckage became spread between the offshore and the inshore sites. It is possible that the CORONATION, after capsizing, broke up, leaving wreckage at the offshore site, before drifting in and smashing up the main part of the ship on Penlee Point. Or if not this, then the reverse - she broke up on Penlee Point and part of the wreckage was washed out to sea and sank at the offshore site.
The origin of the wreckage on this site is not in dispute - the
pewter plate with Captain Skelton's personal crest on it is a clear indication of the wreck's identity as the CORONATION.
She was not located at the time but this could be explained firstly by the ferocity of the storm, and also by the conflicting accounts of the time - The WINDSOR CASTLE's report stated her 'oversett three miles from shore', whilst the OSSORY reported to have seen 'the wreck on shore'. (3)(4)
Dismasted in a violent storm, the CORONATION attempted to anchor off the Rame Head. Several planks gave way, causing her to commence filling with water and finally she draged her anchors. She drove onto Rame Head and rapidly broke up. (10)
The CORONATION, after taking part in the battle off Beachy Head, was lost off Rame Head on 3 September 1691. Getting into bad weather, she rolled away her masts and subsequently foundered with the loss of her captain, Charles Skelton, and almost the whole of her crew. It was suggested at the time that the disaster was due, at least in part, to her ports not being caulked. (12)
Foundered off Rame Head, Plymouth Sound, 03-SEP-1691. Divers have found remains both immediately under the Head and also some distance out in the Sound which seem all to be from this vessel, which could have come apart after sinking. (13)
'...and Admiral Russell being come up as far as Plymouth, and our coast being a lee shore to southerly winds, it then blowing hard and fearing bad weather, Admiral Russell bore up and sailed into Plymouth Sound. A great part of the fleet followed him, and running so hastily one upon another, caused many of them to run on board of one another. Some ran into the Catwater, and in running into the Hamoaze...the CORONATION, coming into the Sound and her anchor being let go, veered out cable to bring her up. She took a salley and sank down to rightes in about 22 fathoms, having on board above 500 men, and not 20 of them saved...' (17)
The CORONATION in fact capsized about 1.5 miles offshore, dropping all her deck armament, bell and fittings on the sea bed, then drifted ashore off Lady Island and cove, where she broke up in the shallows, and where the rest of her armament can be found. (17)
The CORONATION, a 90-gun Second Rate, was built in 1685 by Isaac Betts at Portsmouth Dockyard as one of the 1677 "Thirty Ships" programme. She measured 161 feet x 45 feet, weighed approximately 1427 tons, and had a crew of 660 men during wartime. The CORONATION took part in the British defeat at the Battle of Beachy Head on 30-JUN-1690, where she carried the Flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Ralph Delaval, commander of the Blue Squadron. On 03-SEP-1691, after patrolling for the French fleet, the English fleet under Russell made for Plymouth. The CORONATION foundered in a strong gale from the SE whilst trying to round Penlee Point with a loss of all but 13 of her crew, including the Captain, Charles Skelton. (18)
Built: 1685 (7)(8)(10)(13)(17)
Builder: Isaac Betts (13)(18)
Where Built: Portsmouth (7)(8)(10)(13)(17)
Armament : 78 guns [26 x 32pdr; 26 x 18pdr; 26 x 6pdr] (17); 90 guns (6)(13); 26 x 32pdr; 26 x 18pdr; 26 x 9pdr; 12 x 6pdr (4)(7); 26 x 34pdr; 26 x 18pdr; 26 x 6pdr; 12 x 3pdr (8)
Commanding Officer: Charles Skelton (3)(4)(7)(8)(12)(17)(18)
Crew: 520 or thereabouts (17); 622 or so (12); 660 (18)
Crew Lost: above 500 (17); around 600 (12); 647 (18)
Owner: Royal Navy [all sources]
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Archaeological History:
1977: Having searched the area with metal detecting instruments towed from a boat, Mr P McBride, working with the CORONATION Archaeology Group (CAG), got a strong reading over this site, and subsequent dives discovered at least 17 iron cannon (source (4) states 14) and a large pewter plate with the personal crest of Captain Skelton. (3)(4)
1977: Search described as a proton magnetometer survey. (18)
2003: Multibeam sonar survey (18)
Environmental and Archaeological Remains:
This section of the CORONATION lies in a general depth of 13 metres, in a rocky area with infilling sand. Only small pieces of wreckage remain. (1)
This order protects 15 cannon and 3 anchors which have been identified by the licensee and finder Mr Peter McBride. (2)(14)(15)
2011: A dive trail was opened at the CORONATION site. (21)(22)
Finds
Finds from the offshore site include at least 17 iron cannon
(source (4) states 14) and 2 anchors. (3)(4)
A hull pin (& timber?) recovered from HMS CORONATION but not stated which site. (Droit A/4587).(16)
1 Tea spoon, silver, slightly corroded. 1 Brass core sampler tool, Cu alloy c.20cm long. Finder says these two items came from unprotected area. Not stated near which site. (Droit 309/10) (20)
Additional sources:
Great Shipwrecks,1880, p628; Underwater World,1981, p28-31; House of Lords MAA NS/1/397 |