Pub sign depicting a ship being wrecked and people in act of luring it onto the rocks
This sign hangs above an old pub on the north Devon coast, a popular place in years gone by for the activity of wrecking. The following is taken from : Wrecking was well known in Devon and Cornwall where the rocky coastline, and strong prevailing onshore winds helped wreck many boats, but it is rumoured that ships were sometimes attracted. False lights on the shore were said to be used sometimes to lead ships into disaster. Then, rather than helping shipwrecked sailors, the wreckers often murdered and stripped the unsuspecting crew of any valuables and possessions. A 12th century law had said that if no man or animal survived a wreck then the owners had no claim on it, so the coastal communities had no reason to rescue seamen - in fact quite the reverse. In 1735 a law was passed to make it an offence to make false lights, but no one was prosecuted as a result.
Size: 5120px × 3413px
Location: Hartland Quay, North Devon, England
Photo credit: © Will Newitt / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: britain, devon, england, false, hartland, horizontal, lights, pub, quay, retreat, sign, south, uk, west, wreckers, wrecking
