1637 Group

Last updated

Class overview
Name1637 Group
Builders
  • Matthew Graves, Bermondsey
  • Robert Tranckmore, St Saviour's Dock, Bermondsey
Operators English Red Ensign 1620.svg English Navy Royal

Flag of The Commonwealth.svg Commonwealth Of England

English Red Ensign 1620.svg Kingdom of England
Preceded by Mary Rose (1623)
Succeeded by 1646 Programme
Built1637
In service1637 - 1668
Completed2
Lost1
Retired1
General characteristics
TypeSmall Ship
Tons burthen32358⁄94 tons bm initially, then after girdling 35762⁄94 tons bm
Length90 ft 0 in (27.4 m) keel
Beam26 ft (7.9 m) initially, later 27 ft 4 in (8.3 m)
Depth of hold13 ft 0 in (4.0 m) initially, later 11 ft (3.4 m)
Sail plan ship-rigged
Complement120 in 1652, 140 in 1653
Armament30 guns initially, later 32 or 34

The 1637 Group of warships for the Navy Royal of King Charles I consisted of two 300 ton 'pinnaces' (early frigates) intended to carry fourteen pieces of ordnance and sixteen banks of oars, which were ordered on 12 December 1636. These vessels as built would carry thirty pieces of ordnance with ten pairs of ports on the gundeck, with two pairs of lighter guns forward and four pairs aft on the upper deck. The waist would be unprotected until two more pairs of gun ports were added later. Their measurements would compare favourably to the 'frigate' type vessels built a decade later. Their proportions (their keel length to beam ratio of 3.46 : 1) anticipated by nearly a decade the true frigates like the Constant Warwick. [1] Their initial deployment was to the coast of Morocco, where both ships participated in an attack against the Barbary corsairs of Salé.

Contents

Design, specification and reconstruction

The ships were built in Bermondsey under contract. Only order dates and launch dates are available for each ship. The specified dimensions were 90 feet (27.4 metres) keel length with a breadth of 26 feet (7.9 metres) and depth of hold of 13 feet (4.0 metres). The builder's measurement was consequently 32358⁄94 tons. When the vessels were remeasured after being girdled their beam was increased to 27 feet 4 inches (8.3 metres) and depth of hold reduced to 11 feet (3.4 metres). Their builder's measurement was then 35762⁄94 tons. Even with their wider beam of 27ft 4in after the girdling, their new keel length : beam to ratio of 3.29 : 1 meant that they were similar in proportion to the Constant Warwick. [2]

The gun armaments will be specified on within the individual ship articles as they varied between the vessels. As built they carried thirty guns, comprising culverins [3] [Note 1] and demi-culverins on the gundeck (where they had ten pairs of gunports), [4] [Note 2] and sakers on the quarterdeck and forecastle (where they had four and two pairs of gunports respectively). [5] [Note 3] The initial manning of the ships was 120 personnel up to 1652. During the battles of the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-54) these two ships were rated as 32 or 34 guns, with 140 personnel, but by the Stuart Restoration in June 1660 each was listed as having a (peacetime) establishment of just 30 guns again and 100 men. [6]

The concensus is that in peacetime they retained 18 guns in their gundeck (of the 12 culverins and 8 demi-culverins carried in wartime), but their upper deck (created by building a complete deck linking the forecastle and quarterdeck) had just 12 sakers (4 forward and 8 aft of the unarmed waist).

Ships of the 1637 Group

NameBuilderLaunch dateRemarks
Expedition Matthew Graves, Bermondsey20 March 1637
  • Converted to and re-rated as a fireship in June 1667, then sold in October 1667
Providence Robert Tranckmore,
St Saviour's Dock, Bermondsey		21 March 1637
  • Converted to and re-rated as a fireship in June 1667, then wrecked at Tangier on 31 October 1668

Notes

  1. ↑ A culverin was a gun of 4,500 pounds with a 5.5 inch bore firing a 17.5 pound (later 18 pound) shot with a twelve pound powder charge.
  2. ↑ A demi-culverin was a gun of 3,400 pounds with a four inch bore firing a 9.5 pound (later 9 pound) shot with an eight pound powder charge.
  3. ↑ A saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 5.5 pound shot with an 5.5 pound powder charge.

Citations

  1. ↑ Winfield
  2. ↑ Winfield
  3. ↑ Lavery, page 100
  4. ↑ Lavery, page 101
  5. ↑ Lavery, page 102
  6. ↑ Winfield

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Constant Warwick</i> (1645) Ship of the line of the Royal Navy

Constant Warwick was originally a 32-gun privateer, built in 1645 as a private venture between the Earl of Warwick and Sir William Batten and intended to operate as a privateer. Hired for service in the Parliamentarian navy during the First English Civil War, her captain William Batten defected to the Royalists during the 1648 Second English Civil War. After her crew mutinied in November 1648, she returned to England and was purchased by Parliament for the Commonwealth Navy on 20 January 1649. Described as an "incomparable sailer", she was noted for her sharpness and fine lines, and is considered by some as the first true frigate of the Royal Navy. Mainly used for patrolling, she was captured by the French in 1691.

HMS Dragon was a 38-gun fourth rate of the English Navy; she became part of the Royal Navy after the Restoration, built by the Master Shipwright Henry Goddard at Chatham and launched in 1647. She was the first frigate to be built at Chatham.

HMS Reserve was one of six 40-gun fourth-rate frigates, built for the Commonwealth of England under the 1650 Programme, after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 she was incorporated into the navy of the Kingdom of England. She partook in no major Fleet actions during the First Anglo-Dutch War. After the Restoration during the Second Anglo-Dutch War she partook in the Battle of Lowestoft, the Four Days' Battle and the St James Day Battle. She spent the bulk of her service either in the Mediterranean or at Newfoundland. She foundered off Yarmouth in November 1703.

HMS Assistance was one of six 40-gun fourth-rate frigates, built for the Commonwealth of England under the 1650 Programme, after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 she was incorporated into the navy of the Kingdom of England. During her time in the Commonwealth Navy she partook in the First Anglo-Dutch War being present in the battles of Kentish Knock, Portland and The Gabbard. In the Mediterranean she was present at the Battle of Santa Cruz and the bombardment of Porto Farina, In the Second Anglo-Dutch War she was involved in the Battle of Lowestoft, Battle of Vagen and the St James Day Fight. She did not participate in fleet actions after this. She spent the rest of her service life undergoing several rebuilds and plying the waters as a cruiser protecting British trade and projecting British sovereignty. After nearly 95 years of Service she was sunk as a break water at Sheerness at the end of 1745.

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Deptford Dockyard in 1694/95. She was assigned to the West Indies. She was wrecked along with HMS Bideford on Hispaniola in November 1699.

The 1693 Programme of fifth rates were derived from the 1689 programme vessels as demi-batterie ships. The concept was to have one tier of ordnance flush on the upper deck for use in all weathers on a freeboard of at least seven feet. The ordnance would be arranged with a minimum of ten gun ports on the upper deck. The lower deck would be provided with four ports for heavier guns that could only be used in calm weather. For added propulsion ten oar ports per side would be provided with a central loading port. Four 32-gun vessels to these specifications were ordered in early 1693 with three to be built by Contract and one in dockyard.

The 1646 Programme of new warships nominally for the English Navy Royal of King Charles I were ordered during the English Civil War by the Parliamentary side in late 1645. With Parliament on 14 October 1645 approving the disposal of six elderly ships, instructions were issued for the speedy building of other vessels in their place. The Admiralty Committee was instructed on 4 November to "take care for the setting up ... and building of so many ships or frigates as they see fit", and on 2 December it ordered a model to be constructed in order "to build three frigates, (each) to carry 32 or 34 guns".

The 1647 Programme of four additional Fourth rate vessels for the English Navy Royal was approved by Parliament on 9 January 1647, following a recommendation on 31 December 1646 by the Admiralty Committee that four new frigates should be built, each to be of 370 tons and to carry 32 guns. Like the three vessels built in the previous year under the 1646 Programme, each vessel would have eleven pairs of gunports on its sole gundeck, with further ports on the quarterdeck above.

The Expedition was a 30-gun "pinnace" in the service of the English Navy Royal. After an initial participation in a punitive attack on Morocco, she spent the majority of her career in Home Waters. During the English Civil War she was employed in the Parliamentary Naval Force. In 1551 she was assigned to the Commonwealth Navy. During the First Dutch War she took part in the Battle of Portland, the Battle of the Gabbard and the Battle of Scheveningen in 1553. During the Second Dutch War she participated in the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665 and the Four Days' Battle and the St James' Day Battle (Orfordness) in 1666. She was re-classed as a 32-gun ship in 1666, but then again re-rated and converted to a fireship in June 1667, and then sold in October 1667.

Providence was a 30-gun "pinnace" in the service of the English Navy Royal. After an initial participation in a punitive attack on Morocco, she spent the majority of her career in Home Waters. During the English Civil War she was employed in the Parliamentary Naval Force. In 1551 she was assigned to the Commonwealth Navy. During the First Dutch War she took part in the Battle of Portland, the Battle of the Gabbard and the Battle of Scheveningen in 1553. During the Second Dutch War she participated in the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665 and the Four Days' Battle and the St James' Day Battle (Orfordness) in 1666. She was re-classed as a 32-gun ship in 1666, but then again re-rated and converted to a fireship in June 1667, but was wrecked at Tangier on 31 October 1667.

HMS Milford was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by William Hubbard of Ipswich in 1694/95.

HMS Winchelsea was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built under contract at Redbridge (Southampton) in 1693/94. After commissioning she was employed for trade protection in the North Sea, guard ship at Plymouth, briefly with Shovell's Fleet in the Channel and a brief visit to the West Indies. While on fisheries protection in the Channel she was taken by the French off Hastings in June 1706.

HMS Hastings was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham in 1694/95. She spent her brief career on counter piracy patrols and trade protection duties in Home Waters. She was wrecked in a storm off Waterford in December 1697.

HMS Looe was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Plymouth Dockyard in 1695/96. Shortly after commissioning she was wrecked in Baltimore Bay, Ireland on 30 April 1697.

HMS Fowey was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mr. Flint of Plymouth in 1695/96. She was employed in trade protection and counter-piracy patrols in Home Waters and North America. She was in on the capture of a 50-gun Frenchman while returning from Virginia. She was taken by the French off the Scilly Islands in August 1704.

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by John Knowler of Redbridge (Southampton) in 1695/96.

HMS Hastings was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Isaac Betts of Woodbridge in 1696/98. She was employed in convoy service, trade protection and counter piracy patrols. She was wrecked off Greater Yarmouth in February 1707.

HMS Looe was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Portsmouth Dockyard in 1696/97. She was first employed off the Irish coast. She went to Newfoundland in 1702. On her return she was wrecked on the Isle of Wight in December 1705.

HMS Ludlow was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mrs. Anne Mundy of Woodbridge in 1697/98.

HMS Fowey was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Chatham Dockyard in 1703/05. She spent her career in the Mediterranean and was taken by the French off Cape Gato, Spain in April 1709.

References

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