A starboard bow view of the cargo steamer Ville du Temple (1889) submerged from the stern to the back of the bridge off the cliffs in Porthmoina Cove, north Cornwall. The main mast has fallen backwards, being held at an angle by the rigging. The photogrpaher was standing on the cliffs on the south side of the cove looking north towards Porthmeor Point.

The negative has lifting emulsion and a transluscent chemica reaction between the glass and emulsion that has caused the emulsion to split in places.

The Ville du Temple was en route from Nantes to Penarth when it struck the Runnelstone rocks south of Gwennap Head just before midnight of 28/29 November 1913. Having backed the ship off and plugged a leak on the hull they proceeded north past Land's End when a second leak was discovered causing the ship to settle deep in the water. The ship steamed close in shore and the crew had to escape by ship's lifeboats and were picked up and taken to St. Ives. The Ville du Temple went ashore and broke its back, becoming a total wreck with its stern underwater.