Maritime record LWT 536 - Wreck of an English barge

'1373. Feb. 20. Westminster. Commission of oyer and terminer to William de Wynchyngham, Roger de Kirketon, John Holt, Roger de Wolfreston and Edmund Gournay, on complaint by Hugh de Fastolf that, whereas he brought a ship called SEINTEMARIECOG of Yarmouth, laden with wine, from Gascony to Kirkelerode, where 30 tuns, 1 pipe, of the wine were put into a little ship called a "lighter" to be brought to Yarmouth, and the little ship was broken by the violence of the sea in Le Rode of Kirkele, co. Norfolk, but the wine was cast ashore and salved and some of the mariners escaped to land alive, whereby the wine could not be called wreck, the abbot of Leyston, Giles Argentem, "chivaler", Edmund de Hemgrave, "chivaler", and others, carried away 26 tuns, 1 pipe, of the wine, worth 260l., at divers places on the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk.' (1)

NB: A lighter is described as a barge for the movement of cargo in harbour in (2), which covers the medieval period to 1649, and would appear to be consistent with the transfer of the goods from the larger vessel. In more modern times a lighter is understood as being a barge without propulsion of her own, but from the description of the vessel as a "little ship", and the fact that Kirkley is some distance south of Great Yarmouth, it would appear that the vessel had her own propulsion in order to be able to put to sea.

Owner: of cargo, Hugh de Fastolf (1)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Reporting date of los