To the Treasures of the Sea
Also known as Jangye Ryn the cove came by its more recent name because of the silver dollars that have been found washed up on the beach over the years. However, the wreck from which those coins is thought to have come is a bit of a mystery. The vast number of wrecks around the Cornish coast means that there are quite a few candidates.
The ship most likely to be the ‘Dollar Wreck’ is in fact a little-known Spanish brig, Rio Nova. The Rio Nova was a wooden sailing ship, en route from Valencia and Malaga to London carrying fruit and . . . lots of coin.
She went down sometime in December 1802,the exact date is unclear, but the inquest into the events was reported in the Sherborne Mercury on the 17th January 1803.
'On the 30th ult. a Coroner’s inquest was taken on the bodies of W Thomas Broad and John Dowse, belonging to the brig RIO NOVE wrecked in the parish of Madron the day before. As soon as the vessel struck, the crew jumped overboard, and out of the nine men…three were drowned of which the above two only were found, the others have not been heard of. The vessel was coming from Malaga with dollars, gold and silver plate and fruit. Out of 19,000 dollars on board about 12,000 has been saved. The vessel went to pieces as soon as she struck.’
Both of the recovered men were buried in Penzance on New Years Eve, 1802. And of course, after the circumstances of the tragedy, and the cargo of the ship, became common knowledge people were drawn to the beach in the hope of finding a little of the lost treasure. They still are today.
Adapted from cornishbirdblog.com/a-potted-history-of-dollar-cove-treas...
To the Treasures of the Sea
Also known as Jangye Ryn the cove came by its more recent name because of the silver dollars that have been found washed up on the beach over the years. However, the wreck from which those coins is thought to have come is a bit of a mystery. The vast number of wrecks around the Cornish coast means that there are quite a few candidates.
The ship most likely to be the ‘Dollar Wreck’ is in fact a little-known Spanish brig, Rio Nova. The Rio Nova was a wooden sailing ship, en route from Valencia and Malaga to London carrying fruit and . . . lots of coin.
She went down sometime in December 1802,the exact date is unclear, but the inquest into the events was reported in the Sherborne Mercury on the 17th January 1803.
'On the 30th ult. a Coroner’s inquest was taken on the bodies of W Thomas Broad and John Dowse, belonging to the brig RIO NOVE wrecked in the parish of Madron the day before. As soon as the vessel struck, the crew jumped overboard, and out of the nine men…three were drowned of which the above two only were found, the others have not been heard of. The vessel was coming from Malaga with dollars, gold and silver plate and fruit. Out of 19,000 dollars on board about 12,000 has been saved. The vessel went to pieces as soon as she struck.’
Both of the recovered men were buried in Penzance on New Years Eve, 1802. And of course, after the circumstances of the tragedy, and the cargo of the ship, became common knowledge people were drawn to the beach in the hope of finding a little of the lost treasure. They still are today.
Adapted from cornishbirdblog.com/a-potted-history-of-dollar-cove-treas...