Yewglen (Beadnell)
Wreck of The Yewglen, 1000T, 220ft motor vessel, ran aground in February 1960. Now lies in 8m of water on the north side of Beadnell Point. Much has been salvaged. Boilers, plating, girders, mast and hatches still to be found. (1)(2)
Vessel structure:
There has been some confusion about the position of this wreckage, her charted position 55°32.10N, 001°37.00W yielded nothing in a 1999 survey, and the UK Hydrographic Office record for her wreckage was duly amended to DEAD (1 - 22.12.99). But the charted position put the YEWGLEN on the south side of Beadnell Point, which is at odds with the description of that location which is offered by the same source, and puts the vessel 'on the north side of Beadnell Point'. That location to the north of the point is the same one given in Sources 3b and 3c, and it seems that the charted position was incorrect. It is unsurprising therefore that the vessel was not found where she was charted.
Her position is given in Source 3b as 55°33.20N, 001°37.22W.
Remains of the vessel are still present on the sea bed, and are described by source 3b, which dates to 2001 as `battered', but nevertheless present on the north side of Beadnell Point and comprising `broken spars, some twisted steel framework, bent hull plates and parts of broken winches'. Source 3c which dates to 1988 described the remains of the vessel which survived until that date as comprising `parts of the hull, plates and ribs, parts of the engine room, anchor, winches and chain [as well as] her boilers and one or two small cabins...'
Documentary evidence:
Having departed London for Leith with a 1000-ton cargo of bagged cement and lime, her Captain set course and left the Second Mate at the helm, with instructions that he should be called every hour. The First and Second mate are said to have only estimated their position during the night however, and noticed too late that they were closer to shore than they thought. The result was that the YEWGLEN grounded in the fog, being too close to shore for her course to be changed when it was realised that it was necessary to do so to avoid the grounding.
Tugs could not free her, and the lifeboat was launched from Seahouses at 5.45am and stood by all day while attempts to refloat the YEWGLEN continued. Neither the breeches-buoy which had been set up, nor the lifeboat were needed to take the crew off the cargo ship, and the crew were able to walk across the reef to safety. She broke her back after lying on Beadnell Point for some six weeks, after which her bow section sank on the north side of the point, and her stern was salvaged. (3b) (3d)
Built: 1952 (3e)
Builder: Jas Lamont and Company (3b) (3d) (3e)
Where built: Port Glasgow (3e)
LBD: 64.6 loa x 10.4 x 4.35m (3b); 47.4 x 10.8m (3e)
Tonnage: 1017 (3b); 1018 (3b) (3d) (3e)
Additional construction detail: 1 x deck, 1 x raised quarterdeck, 4 x watertight bulkheads. (3b)
Propulsion: Single screw diesel engine. (3b) (3d)
Speed: 11 knots (3e)
Crew: 11 (3b)
Owner: John Steward and Son Company Limited, registered in Glasgow (3b) (3f)
Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in the Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Lloyds Casualty Report 1960 p4. (3)
General association with HER 5806 (Mistley). (3)
Vessel structure:
There has been some confusion about the position of this wreckage, her charted position 55°32.10N, 001°37.00W yielded nothing in a 1999 survey, and the UK Hydrographic Office record for her wreckage was duly amended to DEAD (1 - 22.12.99). But the charted position put the YEWGLEN on the south side of Beadnell Point, which is at odds with the description of that location which is offered by the same source, and puts the vessel 'on the north side of Beadnell Point'. That location to the north of the point is the same one given in Sources 3b and 3c, and it seems that the charted position was incorrect. It is unsurprising therefore that the vessel was not found where she was charted.
Her position is given in Source 3b as 55°33.20N, 001°37.22W.
Remains of the vessel are still present on the sea bed, and are described by source 3b, which dates to 2001 as `battered', but nevertheless present on the north side of Beadnell Point and comprising `broken spars, some twisted steel framework, bent hull plates and parts of broken winches'. Source 3c which dates to 1988 described the remains of the vessel which survived until that date as comprising `parts of the hull, plates and ribs, parts of the engine room, anchor, winches and chain [as well as] her boilers and one or two small cabins...'
Documentary evidence:
Having departed London for Leith with a 1000-ton cargo of bagged cement and lime, her Captain set course and left the Second Mate at the helm, with instructions that he should be called every hour. The First and Second mate are said to have only estimated their position during the night however, and noticed too late that they were closer to shore than they thought. The result was that the YEWGLEN grounded in the fog, being too close to shore for her course to be changed when it was realised that it was necessary to do so to avoid the grounding.
Tugs could not free her, and the lifeboat was launched from Seahouses at 5.45am and stood by all day while attempts to refloat the YEWGLEN continued. Neither the breeches-buoy which had been set up, nor the lifeboat were needed to take the crew off the cargo ship, and the crew were able to walk across the reef to safety. She broke her back after lying on Beadnell Point for some six weeks, after which her bow section sank on the north side of the point, and her stern was salvaged. (3b) (3d)
Built: 1952 (3e)
Builder: Jas Lamont and Company (3b) (3d) (3e)
Where built: Port Glasgow (3e)
LBD: 64.6 loa x 10.4 x 4.35m (3b); 47.4 x 10.8m (3e)
Tonnage: 1017 (3b); 1018 (3b) (3d) (3e)
Additional construction detail: 1 x deck, 1 x raised quarterdeck, 4 x watertight bulkheads. (3b)
Propulsion: Single screw diesel engine. (3b) (3d)
Speed: 11 knots (3e)
Crew: 11 (3b)
Owner: John Steward and Son Company Limited, registered in Glasgow (3b) (3f)
Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in the Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Lloyds Casualty Report 1960 p4. (3)
General association with HER 5806 (Mistley). (3)
N5807
Mid 20th Century (1933 to 1966)
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