Marsden, Ilious (Ilios, Ben Ardna)

HER Number:
13156

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
Marsden, Ilious (Ilios, Ben Ardna)

Place:
Marsden

Map Sheet:
NZ46NW

Class:
Maritime Craft

Site Type: Broad:
Transport Vessel

Site Type: Specific:
Cargo Vessel

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Wreckage

Description:
ron, 2,020-ton 75.1m long, 11.3m beam, 7.7, draught British registered steamship. She was built by Short Brothers in 1882 and owed by Lumsden, Byers & Co. Her single iron propeller was powered by a two-cylinder compound-steam engine that used two boilers. On 16 December 1898, the Ilious foundered with the loss of twenty lives, three quarters of mile east of Souter Point, following a collision with the steamship Pierremont. The wreck of the Ilious lies orientate in a north-west to south-east direction on a hard sandy seabed, in a general depth of 22m. In 1971 the wreck was standing up some 8m high from the seabed, but alas she is now quite dispersed in comparison. Her bows are said to be reasonably intact and have a covering of Dead Man’s Fingers, however the rest of the wreck is totally collapsed and well broken up. Her boilers are standing upright next to engine block, which is rather smashed open and lying on its side, showing all of the large bronze bearings. The wreck has been quite well salvaged. The anchor chain and prop shaft were removed some time ago, along with the ship’s bell and many of the other crucial items. The NMR states that the wreck site was formerly regarded as the possible remains of the BEN ARDNA, now thought to be recorded at NZ 46 NW 12 / 1003782. For another site suggested as the remains of the ILIOS, please see NZ 46 NW 6 / 908732; for the account of the wreck event, see NZ 56 NW 67 / 1486166.

Easting:
4195

Northing:
6508

Grid Reference:
NZ41956508

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Peter Collings, 1991, The New Divers Guide to the North-East Coast, page 54; Young, R. (2000) Comprehensive guide to Shipwrecks of the North East Coast (The): Volume One (1740 – 1917), Tempus, Gloucestershire. p. 155; National Monuments Record (908730 & 908732 & 1486166); J J Colledge 1989 Ships of the Royal Navy, volume 2: navy-built trawlers, drifters, tugs and requisitioned ships from the fifteenth century to the present Page(s)34; Hydrographic Office wreck index; http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9903E0D91030E333A2575BC1A9649D94699ED7CF accessed on 28-NOV-2008; Charles Hocking 1990 Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam Page(s)336; http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/show/207513 accessed on 01-DEC-2008; http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/list?search_op=OR&IDNo=1085017 accessed on 01-DEC-2008; http://www.shieldsgazette.com/CustomPages/CustomPage.aspx?PageID=32453§ionID=6149 01-DEC-2008