A lecture about a ship that wrecked offshore of the island almost 200 years ago will take place this Saturday afternoon.

The Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society will be holding the event as part of its winter programme.

Brian King, Leigh Morris and Allison Fox, of the Isle of Man Sub-Aqua Club, will tell the tale of the HMS Racehorse, explaining how she was wrecked, lost and rediscovered, as well as how the wreck was protected and surveyed.

navy

The lecture takes place almost 200 years ago to the day since the Royal Naval brig was lost off Langness.

Most crew were saved by the actions of men from Castletown, but three of those rescuers lost their lives in the effort. Within two years, the lifesaving organisation that would become the RNLI was founded by Sir William Hillary.

The wreck site of HMS Racehorse is the only legally protected wreck in Manx waters. Owned and protected by the Isle of Man Sub Aqua Club, diving is by permission only.

This dive season has seen a number of dives on the site, capturing underwater video footage and 3D photogrammetric survey.

This modern technology will enable many more people visual access to this significant wreck site.

The talk will be held in the lecture theatre at the Manx Museum at 2.30pm on Saturday, December 10.

In the spring, three more lectures will follow.

On January 21, Gareth Pugh will tell of ‘The Atholls’ Brief Reign as the Lords of Mann’, on February 18, Dr Ben Guy of Cambridge University will reveal discoveries on ‘Manaw of the Britons: The Pre-Viking Kings of the Isle of Man’, and on March 25, after Katie King will talk on ‘Museum 100 – Celebrating 100 Years of the Manx Museum’.

IOMNHAS organises these events, with six lectures each winter and about eight excursions each summer.

Visitors are most welcome and details of the society and its events can be found at www.manxantiquarians.com