The scattered remains of The Mistley lie on the south side of Beadnell Point at a depth of 7m. The propeller is visible above mean high water mark at c.NU 239286. See photograph C11. (1)(2)

Vessel structure:

Her charted position 55°32.50N, 001°37.00W has been amended to DEAD by the UK Hydrographic Office because her wreckage was not located in a 1999 survey. (1 - 00.12.99) but it may be that she was sought in the wrong place...

'She ran aground in the approximate position 55°32.30N, 001°37.00W according to the Hydrographic department computer listing. This puts her in the middle of Beadnell Bay, when in fact she is along the southern side of Beadnell Point... there are still large pieces of the ship's ribs and framework, and the odd piece of copper and brass can be found together with a prop shaft and large iron prop.' (3b) The described location of the MISTLEY is approximately at 55°33.69N, 001°36.60W, and this is where she has been located in the current record. Source 3b was published in 1988.

The position described in Source 3b, is approximately where the UK Hydrographic Office charts the wreck of the YEWGLEN (UKHO record 4385), although its description of the wreckage of the YEWGLEN is as variance with the charted position. The UK Hydrographic Office describe the YEWGLEN's location as 'below the north face of Beadnell Point' (3c), which tallies with the position of her bow section which 'slipped into the sea on the north side of Beadnell Point.' (3b)

It would appear that the locations of both the MISTLEY and the YEWGLEN have been incorrectly charted by the Hydrographic Office, although the reason for this is not known. It is also not known how much of the wreckage of the MISTLEY has survived since 1988, when she was last reported by name.

Documentary evidence:

There is very little information about the vessel. She is known to have been built in 1923, and given her size and the fact that she was a cargo vessel it seems likely that she would have served with the Ministry of War Transport in WWII, although there is no evidence to support this. It is not even known how she came to run aground on Beadnell Point.

Built: 1923 (3a) (3d) (3e)
Where built: Mistley (3a) (3d) (3e)
Builder: Mistley Shipbuilding and Repair Company Limited (3a) (3d) (3e)
LBD: 43.9 x 7.7 x 3.4m (3d) (3e)
Tonnage: 450 grt (3a); 487 grt (3d) (3e)
Propulsion: Single boiler, Screw-driven triple-expansion engine. (3e)
Machinery: Aft by Allensons and Company Limited, Bedford (3e)
Owner: FW Horlock (3d); WN Lindsey Limited, Leith (3e).
Cargo: Ballast (3e), Lime and cement (3a)

There is a discrepancy between the date built and ownership data given for the MISTLEY by sources 3d and 3e.

Source 3f list another vessel named MISTLEY, which was owned by WN Lindsay of Leith, but states that the vessel was built in 1920, and was not lost until 1957 on North Ronaldsay. The tonnage given for that vessel is 485, very similar to the MISTLEY recorded here, and it is possible that the similarity caused the confusion in Source 3e.

There is also a discrepancy between the date of loss given by Sources 3a and 3b, and that given by the other sources. Sources 3a and 3b state that the MISTLEY was lost in March 1951, while Sources 3e and 3d both give this date as October 6th 1950. It is not known which date is correct or why the discrepancy exists.

Date of loss qualifier: Lost between dates given.

Additional sources cited in the Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Lloyds Casualty Report 1950 p37; Lloyds Register 194-9 No.68488 (M). (3)

General association with HER 5807 (Yewglen). (3)