Stone Pier
A plaque at the
beginning of the pier to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the tragic loss
of the Earl of Abergavenny.
The Earl of Abergavenny was an outward bound
East India Company ship which struck the Shambles Bank off
Portland
Bill during a gale on the bitter winter's night of 5th February 1805. A
rising tide finally freed her and although flooding fast, the Captain and crew
tried desperately to beach her on Weymouth Sands but they lost the battle and she
tragically sank 2 miles from the safety of the beach in 10 fathoms of
water.
Over 250 passengers, troops and crew including her Captain,
John Wordsworth, brother of the poet William, drowned in the
wreck 2 miles southeast of this plaque, Many were buried at All Saints Church,
Wyke Regis in an
unmarked grave, others at St
Ann's, Radipole and
St Andrew's,
Preston.
ill-fated Vessel! -ghastly shock!
At length delivered from the rock,
The deep she hath regained;
And through the stormy night they steer;
Labouring for life, in hope and fear,
To reach a safer shore -how near,
Yet not to be attained!
William Wordsworth
This plaque was
unveiled by Andrew Sargent, Coxswain of the Weymouth
Lifeboat on 5th February 2005 on behalf of Weymouth LUNAR Society
and sponsored by: Grant Livingston Ltd, Canvey Island,
Essex and Weymouth Museum
Click on picture to go to next photo. © 2005.