History | |
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Name | HMS Winchelsea |
Ordered | 17 February 1693 |
Builder | Mrs. Anne Wyatt, Redbridge (Southampton) |
Launched | 13 August 1694 |
Commissioned | possibly 1694 |
Captured | 6 June 1706 |
Fate | Taken by five French privateers while on Fisheries Protection in English Channel |
General characteristics as built | |
Class and type | 30-gun fifth rate |
Tons burthen | 36453⁄94 tons (bm) |
Length |
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Beam | 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m) |
Depth of hold | 10 ft 7.5 in (3.24 m) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
Armament |
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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.
She was the first vessel to bear the name Winchelsea or Winchelsey in the English and Royal Navy. [1]
She was ordered on 10 April 1693 to be built under contract by Mrs. Ann Wyatt of Redbridge (Southampton). She was launched on 13 August 1694. Her dimensions were a gundeck of 103 feet 5 inches (31.52 metres) with a keel of 85 feet 4.5 inches (26.02 metres) for tonnage calculation with a breadth of 28 feet 4 inches (8.64 metres) and a depth of hold of 10 feet 7.5 inches (3.24 metres). Her builder’s measure tonnage was calculated as 36453⁄94 tons (burthen). [2]
The gun armament initially was four demi-culverins [3] [Note 1] mounted on wooden trucks on the lower deck (LD) with two pair of guns per side. The upper deck (UD) battery would consist of between twenty and twenty-two sakers [4] [Note 2] guns mounted on wooden trucks with ten or eleven guns per side. The gun battery would be completed by four to six minions [5] [Note 3] guns mounted on wooden trucks on the quarterdeck (QD) with two to three guns per side. [6]
She was commissioned under the command of Captain James Littleton for service in the North Sea. In 1696 she was under Captain Francis Hosier (until 1698) still serving in the North Sea. She became a guard ship at Plymouth in 1698. Later in 1698 she was under Captain William Moses (until 1699) while remaining as guard ship. In 1701 she came under Captain Richard Short for service in Irish Waters. In 1702 under Captain George Smith she sailed with an eastern convoy. She then patrolled in the North Sea in 1703.On 7 February 1704 she was under Captain John Trotter assigned to Sir Cloudesley Shovell's Fleet in the English Channel. she sailed to the West Indies in the autumn. On 29 April 1705 she was under Captain William Gray until his death then was under Captain Henry Turville. She returned to Home Waters in July 1705. September 1705 she was under the command of Captain John Castle for fishery protection in the English Channel. [2]
She was taken by four or five French privateers off Hastings on 6 June 1706. Captain Castle was killed during the action. [2] [7]
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.
HMS Milford was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by William Hubbard of Ipswich in 1694/95.
HMS Shoreham was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built under contract at Shoreham in 1693/94. During the War of the English Succession she was involved in the unsuccessful operation at Camaret Bay. At the end of the war she helped take half a French convoy off Ireland. She then deployed to North America and the West Indies. She was rebuilt as a 20-gun sixth rate to the 1719 Establishment in 1719/21. She served in the Baltic as a bomb vessel then reverted to a sixth rate. She participated in operations in the West Indies during the initial years of the War of Austrian Succession before being sold in 1744.
HMS Scarborough was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built at Woolwich Dockyard in 1693/94. Shortly after commissioning she was taken by two French privateers and went under French service. She was recaptured in 1697 and renamed Milford. She spent some time off Africa then the West Indies. She was rebuilt in 1705. She was in the North Sea, the Mediterranean and finally the West Indies where she was wrecked in 1720.
HMS Sorlings was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built under contract at Shoreham in 1693/94. After commissioning she spent her time in trade protection services between Home Waters, North America, West Indies and the Mediterranean. She was captured by the French in October 1705. Incorporated into the French Navy, she was loaned to the Privateering squadron at Dunkerque then recaptured by the British in 1711 and sold.
HMS Lyme was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mr. Flint of Plymouth in 1694/95. She spent her career on counter piracy patrols and trade protection duties in Home Waters, the Mediterranean and in North America and the West Indies. She was rebuilt to the 1719 Establishment as a sixth rate in 1720/21. Her breaking was completed in January 1739.
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 Arundel was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham in 1694/95. After commissioning she was used as a convoy escort, trade protection and counter piracy operations. Her main areas of operation were Irish Waters, the English Channel and convoy escorts to Newfoundland and the West Indies. She was sold in June 1713.
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 Lynn was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham in 1695/96. She spent her entire career on trade protection and anti-piracy patrols. Her service was in Home Waters North America, the West Indies and the East Indies. She was sold in 1713.
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 Gosport was a 32-gun fifth rate built by William Collins of Shoreham in 1695/96. She spent her career on counter piracy patrols and trade protection duties in Home Waters, in North America and the West Indies. She was captured by the French in 1706.
HMS Poole was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Joseph Nye & George Moore of East Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1695/96. She spent the first part of her career on trade protection and counter piracy patrols. After 1719 she was converted to a fireship. She was finally sunk as a breakwater at Harwich in July 1737.
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 Bridgewater was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Sheerness Dockyard in 1697/98.
HMS Ludlow was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mrs. Anne Mundy of Woodbridge in 1697/98.
HMS Falcon was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Deptford Dockyard in 1703/04. Her initial assignment was with Sir Cloudesley Shovell's Fleet. She was then assigned to the Mediterranean where she was taken by the French in 1709.
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.