Charlwood – 50 11.431N; 04 22.106W

The Charlwood was an iron sailing barque built at Sunderland by William Doxford and Sons in 1877. She was 60m long and 10m wide and weighed in at around 850 tons. The boat was en route from Antwerp to Valparaiso when she collided SW of the Eddystone with the British steamer Boston (going from Cardiff to London) on 26th October 1891 at 4:45am. The Charlwood foundered almost immediately after the collision with a loss of 16 lives – only an apprentice and the Captain’s daughter were saved. The vessel was carrying glass cargo and the wreck is packed to the brim with a variety of Victorian tumblers, wine glasses, decanters, plates, cups, bottles and sheet glass.

The Charlwood lies 5m upright on a 63m seabed at 50 11.431N; 04 22.106W. Much of the wreck stands well clear although towards the stern the wreck has collapsed. The bow seems squared off as if it has broken and collapsed foreward of the first bulkhead. In this collapsed area can be seen the base of the bowsprit. On the Starboard side forward of the main collapsed area are a number of barrels. The stern area is much flatter although there appears to be a rudder laying on its starboard side under other debris.

In some ways the Charlwood resembles the Elk but with the holds crammed with glass. Some divers think it looks like a council skip full of “Victorian petrol station quality glass”. The wreck abounds in fish – lots of wrasse and a conger or two. Visibility can be good on this wreck.