Shipwreck and Sacrilege: The Dark Fate of HMS Anson’s Crew

On a stormy December day in 1807, HMS Anson met its tragic end off the treacherous sands of Loe Bar, a place notorious for shipwrecks. As the vessel broke apart in the raging surf, dozens of sailors drowned within sight of the Cornish shore. But the horror did not end with the sea’s fury. In the aftermath, the bodies of the lost crew were buried in unconsecrated pits on nearby cliffs—without coffins, without gravestones, and without the sacred rites of burial. In this episode, we unravel the chilling story of the Anson disaster, the grim fate of its sailors, and the outrage that followed. How did this tragedy spark a change in British law? And do the souls of the forgotten crew still linger on the windswept shores of nearby Porthlevan? Join us as we uncover the shipwreck, the sacrilege, and the legacy of HMS Anson.