Here all
Some treasure legends will always be out of reach for the small time treasure hunters with out the huge capital to follow their dreams. The following story is stirring enough to inspire the most poorest of treasure hunters.
As always with treasure hunting nothing is easy but perhaps there is a little chance to dream a little of fortune and glory tucked away on windswept beach along the Gower coast of South Wales United Kingdom.
Rossili sands is windswept beach with its fair share of history. There is about 30 known shipwrecks along this small stretch of coast line. The treasure legend does not relate to the 2 shipwrecks visable at low tide. The Venerne and the Helvita both late 19th century shipwrecks, both interesting stories in them selves.
A local legend tells of a shipwreck carrying Spanish coins consisting part of Cathrine of Braganza marriage dowry to Charles II of England. The shipwreck occurred in the mid 17th century. It has been suggested that there could possibly have been over 400000 silver coins lost in the wreck.The identity of this shipwreck has never been established.
However in 1807 William Bevan and a few other men noticed after an exceptional low tide the sands had shifted in the vicinity of Diles lake about halfway along the bay. When they reached the spot they found a mass of coins. They frantically tried to recover as much coins as they could before the tide came back in. William Bevan even took off his trousers tied the ends of the legs together and used this to carry the coins.
The coins was not seen for another 25 years until 1833 after a fierce gale in which the storm was much of the sand away from the beach. For men were lucky enough to be at the right time and place between the tides when the coins reveled themselves again. The news of the discovery sent hoards of people to beach like a mini gold rush. Fights broke out in the chaos and thousands of coins was washed off the shovels of desperate treasure hunters gathering the silver bounty, as the tide came in.
It was reported in 1833 in the local paper "The Cambrian" That the local lord of the manor C,R.M Talbot waived all rights to the treasure. Many of the poorer members of the local community benefited enormously. this also happened in 1807.
The coins found were dated between 1625 and 1639 and were according to some reports Peruvian dollars minted in Potosi. Is there a connection with the Cathrine of Braganza dowry?
Cathrine of Braganza was actually Portuguese and it would be logical to assume that any downy would of been paid in Portuguese currency and not Spanish? Cathrine of Braganza was the first person to introduce the drinking of tea to Britain. Part of her Dowry to Charles II was 2 small territories in India. Which later became the foundation of the British India company activities which eventually helped England into colonial expansionism which later became the British empire.
The identity of this treasure still to this day is obscure and perhaps some diligent research will uncover the identity of this vessel. There is a possibility that a large amount of coins lay buried along the drifting sands of the shore line of the bay. Research of admiralty charts and tides charts might help determine the best time of year to search for this treasure. It appears after winter in early spring after large storms that wash excess sands off the beach and by being there at low tide of course might reveal a silver harvest.
There is 3 camp grounds nearby and knowledge of how winds and tides influences scatter patterns of shipwreck debris may be of benefit. Perhaps even another possible location for the treasure hunters working the Florida coast when their lease areas dry up. The knowledge of working in this close shore line work would be ideal for this type of treasure. But even the most modest of treasure hunters could strike it lucky if they are in the right place at the right time can have as much chance as the big boys.
If i was passing by that part of the world I would be swinging a detector at low tide around windswept bit of history.
Hardluck
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