Shipwrecks Around Weymouth - Famous Wrecks, Dates, Causes and Casualties

The waters surrounding Weymouth, Portland and Chesil Beach are among the most notorious in British maritime history. For centuries, powerful storms, shifting seabeds and strong tidal races caused countless vessels to be wrecked within sight of the Dorset coast. From East Indiamen and naval ships to cargo steamers and great sailing vessels, these waters have claimed ships and lives in tragic numbers.

This page explores some of the most notable shipwrecks around Weymouth, including their dates, causes and loss of life, and explains why shipwrecks were once so common along this stretch of coastline.

A depiction of the Earl of Abergavenny

Why Shipwrecks Were So Common Around the Weymouth Coast

Several natural and historical factors combined to make the Weymouth and Portland coastline especially dangerous to shipping:

• Chesil Beach - a steep, exposed shingle bank offering little chance of survival once a vessel was driven ashore
• Portland Bill tidal race - powerful currents capable of pulling ships off course
• Sudden storms in Lyme Bay that caught sailing vessels before they could seek shelter
• Poor visibility caused by fog, rain and sea spray
• Heavy maritime traffic passing close to shore before modern navigation aids existed

Before radar, engines and accurate charts, even experienced captains could misjudge these waters - often with fatal consequences.

The Human Cost and Legacy of Shipwrecks

Shipwrecks deeply affected the Weymouth community. Local fishermen, coastguards and volunteers frequently risked their own lives in rescue attempts. Repeated tragedies led to improvements such as the strengthening of Portland Bill Lighthouse, the development of organised lifeboat services, and better harbour protections.

Today, many wreck sites are protected as historic maritime locations, while others lie broken beneath the waves, serving as lasting reminders of the dangers once faced by sailors along the Dorset coast.

Notable Shipwrecks Around Weymouth

The Halsewell (1786)

Location: Near Peveril Point
Date: 6 January 1786
Casualties: Over 160 lives lost
Cause: Strong Gales/Poor Weather

The Halsewell, the East Indiaman was driven onto the cliffs near Peveril Point, quickly breaking up. Survivors scrambled onto the cliffs.

Earl of Abergavenny (1805)

Location: Near Weymouth Bay and the Shambles
Date: 5 February 1805
Casualties: Over 250 lives lost
Cause: Navigational error and grounding in heavy seas

The Earl of Abergavenny was a East Indiaman that sank in Weymouth Bay in 1805 on its outward journey to Bengal and China. After hitting the shambles off Portland, the ship was badly damaged but made it away from the rocks and out to Weymouth Bay where the captain John Wordsworth attempted to sail her onto Weymouth Beach in an attempt to save lives and her valuable cargo. Being too badly damaged, the ship sank in Weymouth Bay on the 5th February 1805 with the loss of 263 people including Captain Wordsworth who went down with his ship. At the beginning of the Stone Pier, a plaque remembers that fateful night and all those who lost their lives.

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Avalanche & Forest Collision (1877)

Location: Off Portland
Date: 11 September 1877
Casualties: Over 100 sailors lost
Cause: Collision in poor visibility

Two large sailing ships, the Avalanche and the Forest, collided in rough seas off Portland. Both vessels sank rapidly within the hour, leaving little chance for escape. The tragedy shocked the maritime world and led to renewed debate over navigation rules at sea.

Naval Vessels Lost Around Weymouth and Portland

In addition to merchant ships and sailing vessels, the waters around Weymouth and Portland have also claimed several Royal Navy vessels. The area's importance as a naval harbour, training ground and defensive position during the 19th and 20th centuries meant that military ships frequently operated close to this dangerous coastline.

HMS Royal Adelaide (1872)

Location: Chesil Beach
Date: 15 November 1872
Casualties: Between 7 and 23 lives lost
Cause: Driven ashore during a violent storm

HMS Royal Adelaide was a wooden troopship returning soldiers from Gibraltar. Caught in a severe gale, her anchors failed and she was driven helplessly onto Chesil Beach. Despite rescue attempts by local volunteers and coastguards, several lives were lost. The wreck became one of the most famous maritime disasters associated with Weymouth.

HMS M2 - Royal Navy Submarine (1932)

Location: Off Chesil Beach, approximately 2 miles south-west of Weymouth
Date lost: January 1932
Casualties: Around 60 officers and crew
Cause: Training accident during a dive

HMS M2 was an experimental Royal Navy submarine converted to carry a small reconnaissance aircraft. Operating from Portland, she was lost during routine exercises when she failed to resurface. It is believed the submarine flooded while attempting to launch or recover her aircraft. The wreck now lies on the seabed and is designated as a protected war grave.

HMT Arfon - Royal Navy Minesweeper (1917)

Location: St Albans Head
Date lost: April 1917
Casualties: 10 of the 13 crew killed
Cause: Struck a German naval mine

Originally a fishing trawler, Arfon was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted into a minesweeper during the First World War. While clearing mines laid by German U-boats off the Dorset coast, she struck an explosive device and sank rapidly.

HMS Sidon - Royal Navy Submarine (1955)

Location: Approaches to Portland Harbour
Date: 16 June 1955
Casualties: 13 crew members
Cause: Torpedo explosion onboard

HMS Sidon was an S-class submarine that suffered a catastrophic explosion in her forward torpedo room during trials. Although many of the crew were rescued, 13 men lost their lives. The incident highlighted the dangers of submarine service even in peacetime.

HMS Hood - Blockship at Portland Harbour (1914)

Location: Entrance to Portland Harbour
Date scuttled: November 1914
Casualties: None
Cause: Deliberately sunk as a defensive measure

Early in the First World War, HMS Hood, an older battleship, was deliberately sunk at the entrance to Portland Harbour to prevent enemy submarines from entering. Although not lost through accident or battle, her remains are still visible beneath the water and form part of Portland's wartime defences.

These naval wrecks serve as reminders that the dangers of the Weymouth coastline extended beyond storms and navigation, claiming military vessels during both war and peacetime operations.

SS Chiswick - Sunk Inside Portland Harbour (1917)

Location: Portland Harbour
Date: 2 April 1917
Casualties: None
Cause: Struck a German naval mine

During the First World War, Portland Harbour was heavily defended but still vulnerable to enemy mines. The British cargo ship SS Chiswick struck a mine inside the harbour itself, sank quickly, and became one of the few vessels lost within a supposedly safe naval anchorage. Fortunately, all crew survived, but the incident highlighted the dangers of mine warfare even in protected waters.

This rare harbour sinking complements other naval losses in the Weymouth area, demonstrating that both the open coast and even defended harbours were hazardous for ships during wartime.

Heroism in Portland Harbour - Leading Seaman Jack Mantle

During World War II, Portland Harbour was the site of intense enemy attacks. On 4 July 1940, the auxiliary anti-aircraft ship HMS Foylebank came under a devastating dive-bombing raid by German Stuka aircraft. Amidst the chaos, Leading Seaman Jack Foreman Mantle manned the starboard pom-pom anti-aircraft gun.

Despite suffering mortal wounds from bomb explosions, Mantle continued to fire at the enemy. Even after the ship's power failed, he manually operated his gun, refusing to leave his post. His extraordinary bravery was recognized with a posthumous Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the British forces.

Mantle's courage is remembered as a remarkable example of heroism in Portland Harbour, highlighting the human stories behind the naval battles and shipwrecks of World War II.

Shipwreck Timeline - Weymouth & Portland Coast

• 1786 - Halsewell wrecked near at Peveril Point
• 1805 - Earl of Abergavenny wrecked near Weymouth Bay (250+ dead)
• 1872 - HMS Royal Adelaide lost on Chesil Beach (7-23 dead)
• 1877 - Collision of Avalanche and Forest off Portland (100+ dead)
• 1914 - HMS Hood scuttled at Portland Harbour (defensive blockship, no fatalities)
• 1917 - HMT Arfon minesweeper struck a mine off Weymouth Bay (10 dead)
• 1917 - SS Chiswick struck a German mine and sank inside Portland Harbour (no fatalities)
• 1932 - HMS M2 submarine sank off Chesil Beach during exercises (~60 dead)
• 1940 - HMS Foylebank attacked in Portland Harbour
• 1955 - HMS Sidon submarine torpedo explosion near Portland Harbour (13 dead)