Steel steamship · 1927–1940 · Shetland, United Kingdom
Highcliffe
Captain Henderson, the Highcliffe's regular master, came from Reawick and knew western Shetland, and his route from Narvik to Immingham with iron ore ran close along that coast to keep clear of the U-boats to the east.
Without radar, and with the weather closing in, he took a headland for the Neep of Norby when it was in fact Fitful Head, and soon afterwards the water shoaled abruptly and she ran onto rocks off Forewick Ness, Papa Stour, some fifteen miles from where he grew up. The Aith lifeboat stood by until he gave the order to leave, then took the crew off without loss.
Built at South Shields in 1927 by John Redhead and Sons for the Cliffe Steamship Co, she swung broadside to the swell, broke in two, and by 1946 had gone from sight. Her remains are widely scattered, with her boiler and the gun she carried for wartime protection still recognisable.
- Type
- Steel steamship
- Year built
- 1927John Redhead and Sons Ltd
- Lost
- 1940
- Tonnage
- 3,847 GRTsteam
- Depth
- 6–26 m
- Location
- Shetland, United KingdomSt Magnus Bay
Deeper than 74 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost 1940 · Shetland, United Kingdom.
She left Narvik on 31 January 1940 sailing independently, with 37 men aboard. On 6 February the seabed shelved from over 100 feet to under 20 feet and she stranded on a rocky outcrop. An SOS was picked up by Wick Radio Station, and the next morning her crew fired rockets and sounded her horn.
Her hull was badly damaged at No 1 hold; on a rising tide she broke in two, the forward section rolling over and the stern stuck fast on the rocks.
Built 1927 by John Redhead and Sons Ltd; 13 years in service. Lost 1940.
Condition of the Wreckin 6–26 m.
Intactness
Her remains are scattered widely across a sloping seabed, in depths from 6 to 26 metres. Among the recognisable pieces are her boiler and the gun fitted for her wartime voyages.
Notable Features
- Boilers
- Cargo remains
- Stern section
- Triple expansion engine
Sea-Surface Temperature by Month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface temp | 8.5° | 7.7° | 7.5° | 7.7° | 8.8° | 10.5° | 12.2° | 12.6° | 12.2° | 11.4° | 10.5° | 9.3° |
Additional Details9 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Builder
- John Redhead and Sons Ltd
- Propulsion
- Steam
- Loss date
- 1940
- Latitude
- 60.3184° N
- Longitude
- 1.6616° W
- Water body
- St Magnus Bay
- War grave
- Not recorded
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
Sources and VerificationEvery fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Historic Environment Scotland (Canmore, NRHE)inspire.hes.scot · Official record5 facts
- UK Hydrographic Officedatahub.admiralty.co.uk · Official record3 facts
- NOAA / NASA JPL MUR SST v4.1coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov · Institution or archive1 fact
- Scottish Shipwrecksscottishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source13 facts
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Historic Environment Scotland.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.
- JPL MUR MEaSUREs Project. GHRSST Level 4 MUR Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (v4.1). PO.DAAC. https://doi.org/10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04
A further 4 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Highcliffe?
Highcliffe is the wreck of a steel steamship, off Shetland, United Kingdom, at 26 metres. Highcliffe was lost in 1940.
How deep is the Highcliffe?
Highcliffe lies at 6 to 26 metres, St Magnus Bay, Shetland.
How did the Highcliffe sink?
The cause of the loss of Highcliffe is not recorded in the sources held; the loss is dated 1940.