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The County of Caithness

The County of Caithness

Discovered in a joint operation between Maritime Discovery Group and WreckSploration on 02/03/2025. The wreck lies in 80m of water off the south west of Rottnest Island.

The County of Caithness was a notable four-masted iron-hulled ship, constructed in 1876 by Barclay, Curle & Co. in Glasgow for R. & J. Craig, a prominent Glasgow-based shipping company. This vessel was part of a series of ships commissioned by the company, all named after Scottish counties, following the successful launch of the County of Peebles in 1875.

Design and Specifications

The County of Caithness measured 81.19m in length, 11.82m beam, and 7.19m draft, with a gross tonnage of 1,715 and a net tonnage of 1,636. As a four-masted iron ship, it represented the zenith of sailing ship design during the late 19th century, combining substantial cargo capacity with enhanced stability and speed.

Service and Operations

Primarily engaged in the jute trade, the County of Caithness operated between major ports in Great Britain, such as Dundee and Cardiff, and destinations in East India, including Bombay and Calcutta. The vessel’s design and rigging allowed it to compete effectively with contemporary steamships on long-haul routes, maintaining the economic viability of wind-powered cargo transport during that era.

Artistic Representation

The ship’s prominence is underscored by its depiction in maritime art, notably in a painting by Lai Fong, a renowned Chinese artist active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This artwork captures the County of Caithness in full sail, exemplifying the vessel’s grandeur and the era’s shipbuilding excellence.

Legacy

The County of Caithness stands as a testament to the advanced shipbuilding techniques of its time and the global maritime trade networks that characterized the late 19th century. Its construction and operation highlight the transitional period in maritime history when sailing ships reached their peak performance before the eventual dominance of steam-powered vessels.

Today, maritime historians and enthusiasts continue to celebrate the legacy of the County of Caithness and its sister ships, reflecting the enduring fascination with the majestic four-masted barques that once traversed the world’s oceans.

Dived and modelled 02/03/2025

Identification Notes From Dr Ross Anderson (Curator, Western Australian Museum)

  • The wreck site has 4 masts, 2 pole masts, 2 decks and a cut-off bow
  • County of Caithness is the only hulk of a 4-masted ship to have been scuttled in the Rottnest Ships Graveyard;
  • The scaled length measured from the broken bow and main hull sections is 85m (+/- 5m), which correlates closely with the County of Caithness length of 266.4 feet / 81.19m;
  • The only other unidentified/ unlocated hulks in the 80m length range are the three-masted ships Clevedon (79.8m) and Kirkcudbrightshire (76.3m);
  • The number of lower masts (4) and pole masts (2) on the wreck site correlates exactly with an image showing the mast configuration of the County of Caithness being scuttled;
  • The location of Site 41 is inconsistent with a report that the County of Caithness hulk was scuttled N40E 6 miles from the Rottnest Lighthouse, however as demonstrated by large variations in previous reports of scuttling locations, these reports cannot be relied upon as always being accurate.
  • Site 41 is positively identified as the County of Caithness.
  • Thanks to Maritime Discovery Group for the magnetometer spots that led to this discovery.

3D Model

Animation

Static Images

Historical images

Image 1: WA Museum McKenna Collection
Image 2: State Library of South Australia
Caithness under sail: REF

Location of The County of Caithness