The West Hoyle Bank is over 6 miles in extent, mainly W-E, across the mouth of the Dee estuary. Many vessels were reported as lost on the West Hoyle Bank. The traditional route into Liverpool was via the Rock Channel, which took vessels quite close to the Hoyle Bank. Also vessels entering the Dee had to navigate around it. The East Hoyle Bank is separated from the West Hoyle by Hilbre Swash.
Not a comprehensive list - just
those discussed in some detail elsewhere. Earlier reports do not always
distinguish West and East Hoyle. Some vessels are known to have been
refloated and put back in service.
I run my own boat aground on the
West Hoyle several times a year, intentionally, to change anodes, etc.
See also charted wreck candidates.
For wrecks near the mouth of the Dee estuary (near Hilbre Island or Point of Ayr) see here. For wrecks in Hilbre Swash and on the East Hoyle see here. For wrecks on the north Wirral coast see here. For wrecks off Prestatyn and Rhyl see here.
Packet Neptune 1748
St. George 1749
Pilot Boat no 4 1770
Philadelphia Packet 1774
Packet Nonpareil 1775
Traffick 1775
Ship Newburn 1790
Sloop Mary 1792
Sloop Lovely Peggy 1793
Ship (armed) Victory 1803
Brig Rose 1805
Ship Telamon 1806
Ship Harriet 1808
Margaret 1818
Auspicious 1819
Brig Kelly 1816
Sloop Fullerton 1823
Sloop Caractacus 1823
William Wise 1825
Bee 1825
Hugh William 1825
Anson 1825
Mary 1825
Sloop Royal Oak 1826
Schooner Town of Ulverston 1826
Brig Berbice 1831
Schooner Snowdon 1831
Ship Penelope 1832
Brig Belem Castle 1832
Sloop Packet of Ayr 1833
Sloop Kircudbright Castle 1833
Schooner Duke of Wellington 1833
PS Lord Blayney 1833
Brig Endeavour 1835
Brig Norah 1835
Barque Robert Peel 1835
Schooner Lady's Adventure 1835
Sloop Penketh 1836
Ship Heyes 1836
Sloop Pheasant 1837(refloated)
Schooner Union 1837
Peggy 1837
Three Sisters 1838
Barque Athabaska 1838
Sloop Pheasant 1840(refloated)
Ship Urania 1841
Schooner Isabella 1843
Schooner Despatch 1843
Flat Hale 1843
Brig Lund 1843(refloated)
Barque Euterpe 1845(refloated)
PS Mermaid 1845
Barque Manchester 1845
Barque Cato 1849
Schooner Mary 1850
Schooner Margaret Hughes 1850
Schooner Caroline and Flats 1851
Sloop Betsy and Mary 1852
Brigantine Sophia 1853
Schooner Govan Hill 1853
Flat May 1854
Barque John Horrocks 1854
Vigilant 1854
Brig Enterprise 1854
Flat Helen 1854
Schooner Brailsford 1855
Flat Pink 1855
Schooner Mermaid 1856
Flat Temple 1857
Schooner Wave 1859
Schooner Augusta C Brewer 1860
Young Gipsy 1861
Schooners George and Gezina Reina 1863
Schooner Joshua 1863
Schooner Victoria 1866
Flat Grace 1866
Vessels ashore 1868(most refloated)
Barque Neptune 1868
Schooner Mariner 1868
Flat Betsy 1869
Schooner Gnu 1869
Flat Mary 1871(probably refloated)
Brigantine Elizabeth 1871(refloated)
Jigger Flat Mary and Ann 1871
Flat Rhuddlan Trader 1873
Flat May 1875
Sloop Wave 1879
Flat Amy 1879
Barque Margaretha 1880
Schooner Accrington Lass 1882
Schooner Mary 1883
Flat Charles 1883
Smack Mona 1883
Brigantine Norma 1884(later driven on
mainland shore)
Flat William 1887
SS Albion 1887
Schooner Primus 1889
Barque Mount Pleasant 1889(refloated)
Flat Florinda 1890
Schooner Ellen Harrison 1890(refloated)
Barque Elgin 1890
Brigantine James Stonard 1890
Schooner Blanche 1890
Missing vessels (Ernest,
Bridget Annie, Florence Emily) 1890
Schooner Thomas Mason 1894
Barque Minnie Brown 1894
Barque Atlantic 1894
SS Renfrew 1895
Flat Catherine 1896
Schooner Piel Castle 1898
Flat Ceylon 1901
Flat Hannah 1904
Flat Anne 1908
Smack Charming Nancy 1909
Flat Transit 1911
SS Nestos 1941
MV Constance 1941
MV Diane 1971
For wrecks in Hilbre Swash and on East Hoyle Bank: see
discussion.