List of early warships of the English navy

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This is a list of early warships belonging to the English sovereign or the English Government, the precursor to the Royal Navy of England (from 1707 of Great Britain, and subsequently of the United Kingdom). These include major and minor warships from 1485 until 1660, the latter being the year in which the Royal Navy came formally into existence with the Restoration of Charles II (before the Interregnum, English warships had been the personal property of the monarch and were collectively termed "the king's ships"). Between Charles I's execution in 1649 and the Restoration eleven years later, the Navy became the property of the state (Commonwealth and Protectorate), under which it expanded dramatically in size.

Contents

Prefix

While the prefix "HMS" (for His or Her Majesty's Ship) is often applied in connection with these ships, the term was not technically applicable, as it was only instituted with the establishment of the Royal Navy in 1660, following the Restoration of King Charles II of England.

Glossary

The dates for ships before 1485 are probably listed using the contemporary English convention of the first day of the year being 25 March (Lady Day).

In the sections listing warships in the English/Royal Navy from 1485 onwards, the dates have been quoted using the modern convention of the year starting on 1 January, where this information is available. All dates are given in the Julian Calendar ("Old Style").

List of English warships before 1485

The following list is based extensively upon that provided in Michael Oppenheim's History of the Administration of the Royal Navy and in Volume 1 of William Laird Clowes's The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to 1900.

Note that almost every vessel listed had the words "of the Tower" (or "de la Tour" when inscribed in French, still an official language at the time) affixed to its name. This affix was simply the equivalent of the modern prefix "HMS" and is omitted below.
The number of guns quoted in most sources comprised almost entirely small(ish) iron weapons created from wrought material bound into barrels by iron hoops. These were exclusively anti-personnel weaponry; very few heavy weapons were carried, and even these were rarely used for ship-to-ship fire.

List of English warships 1485–1603

The lists for the Tudor period are taken primarily from Arthur Nelson's The Tudor Navy and David Childs's Tudor Sea Power (cited in references at the end of this article).

Where applicable, number of main guns follows name (see Rating system of the Royal Navy). Note that long-lived ships could be rearmed several times. Many earlier ships went through periodic repairs and rebuildings (many now unrecorded) during which their dimensions and their armament changed considerably.

Henry VII (additions 1485–1509)

The number of guns listed in various sources is not really relevant; most of the large number quoted in contemporary records were small anti-personnel weapons, and the number of these would vary from time to time (changes usually unrecorded). Accordingly, the figures have been omitted.

Henry VIII (additions 1509–1547)

Heavy (bronze) guns mounted on carriages only appeared during this reign. The concept of cutting gunports into the lower deck emerged early in the period, and relatively few heavy guns were carried. Even the largest would only have heavy guns numbering in single figures, the remainder being small anti-personnel weapons.

Ships

These were described simply as ships, most were probably carracks)

    • Mary Rose (1509) – rebuilt 1536, sank 1545, starboard-side remains recovered 1982 and preserved at Portsmouth
    • Peter Pomegranate (1510) – rebuilt 1536, deleted 1552
    • Jennet Prywin (ex-Scottish Andrew Barton, captured 1511, originally Danish) – deleted 1514
    • Lion (ex-Scottish privateer prize, captured 1511) – sold 1513
    • Anne Gallant (built 1512) – wrecked 1518
    • Christ (ex Christ of Lynn, purchased 1512) – captured by Barbary pirates 1515
    • Dragon (built 1512) – last recorded 1514
    • John Baptist (purchased 1512) – wrecked 1534
    • Mary George (ex Mary Howard, purchased 1512) – last recorded 1526
    • Mary James (ex James of Hull, purchased 1512) – last recorded 1529
    • Lizard (purchased 1512) – last recorded 1522
    • Great Nicholas (ex Nicholas Reede, purchased 1512) – deleted by 1522
    • Great Bark 63 (built 1512) – sold 1531
    • Little Barbara or Barbara of Greenwich (1512) – last recorded 1514
    • Black Bark or Christopher (1513) – last recorded 1514
    • Henry Hampton (purchased 1513) – hulked 1521 and not later recorded
    • Mary Imperial (1513) – last recorded 1525
    • Henri Grâce à Dieu ("Great Harry") 186 (1514) – rebuilt 1539, renamed Edward 1547, but accidentally burned 1553.
    • Great Elizabeth (ex Salvator von Lubeck, purchased 1514) – wrecked 1514.
    • Great Galley (built 1515) – rebuilt 1542 as a ship and renamed Great Bark
    • Less Bark (1517) – rebuilt 1536 and renamed Small Bark, last recorded 1552
    • Mary Gloria (purchased 1517) – last recorded 1522
    • Katherine Bark (built 1518) – last recorded 1525
    • Bark of Bullen (captured 1522 from the French) – last recorded 1525
    • Bark of Murless (ex Bark of Morlaix, captured 1522 from the French) – last recorded 1530
    • Magdeline (ex Mawdlyn of Deptford, 1522) – last recorded 1525
    • Mary and John (Spanish galleon) – last recorded 1528
    • John of Greenwich (captured 1523) – last recorded 1530
    • Primrose (built 1523) – rebuilt 1538, sold 1555
    • Minion (built 1523) – rebuilt 1536, given away 1549
    • Mary Guildford (built 1524) – last recorded 1539
    • Trinity Henry (1530) – sold 1558
    • Sweepstake (built 1535) – condemned 1559
    • Mary Willoughby (built 1535) – captured by the Scots 1536 but retaken 1547, rebuilt 1551, sold 1573
    • Matthew (ex Matthew Gonson, purchased 1539) – last recorded 1558
    • Pansy (built 1543) – condemned 1558
    • Artigo (ex Ferronière, captured 1543 from the French) – sold 1547
    • Jesus of Lübeck (ex-Hanseatic League carrack Jesus von Lübeck, purchased 1544) – sunk by Spanish 1568
    • Marryan (ex-Hanseatic League Morian Murryan, purchased 1544) – sold 1551
    • Struss (ex-Hanseatic League Struce of Dawsky, purchased 1544) – sold 1552
    • Mary Hambrough (ex-Hanseatic League, purchased 1544) – sold 1558
    • Christopher of Bream (purchased 1545) – sold 1556
    • Mary Thomas (captured 1545) – last recorded 1546
    • Mary James (captured 1545) – last recorded 1546
    • Mary Odierne (captured 1545) – last recorded 1546
    • Trinity (captured 1545) – last recorded 1546
    • Sacrett (captured 1545) – condemned 1559
    • Hope Bark (1546) – last recorded 1548

Carracks

These were specifically mentioned as such, although most of the "ships" above were probably carracks also.

    • Gabriel Royal (ex Genoese, purchased 1512)
    • Katherine Fortune (ex Genoese Katarina Fortileza, purchased 1512)
    • Mary Loret (ex Genoese Maria de Larreto, requisitioned 1514, but returned later in the same year)
    • Great Barbara (ex Mawdelyn, purchased 1513) – last recorded 1524

Galleys

    • Henry Galley (built 1512) – lost 1513
    • Rose Galley (1512) – last recorded 1521
    • Kateryn Galley (1512) – last recorded 1527
    • Galley Subtile (built 1543) – listed as a gallease 1546, condemned 1560
    • Mermaid (ex Galley Blanchard, captured 1545) – last recorded 1563

Galleasses

The galleass was a compromise between the sleek lines and underwater shape of the galley and the broadside guns of the carrack; in this sense it was the predecessor of the galleon. Primarily sailing warships, with oars as ancillary means of propulsion. Twelve were built for Henry VIII in three groups between 1536 and 1546, and two further vessels of the type were captured from the Scottish Navy and added to the English fleet, and another was purchased. As the oars were found to detract from their sailing performance, they were removed by the time of Henry's death and in 1549 all fifteen galleasses were re-classed as 'ships'. Those in good condition were rebuilt as small galleons in 1558 (six) or 1570 (two).

First group These four vessels were three-masted galleasses, each with a low forecastle and three pairs of gunports set along the rowing deck. A fifth galleasse - the George - was much smaller and was purchased rather than built for the Navy.

  • Lion (1536) – taken to pieces 1552
  • Jennet (1539) – rebuilt as a galleon 1558
  • Dragon (1542) – taken to pieces 1552
  • Greyhound (1545) – rebuilt as a galleon 1558
  • George (1546) - taken to pieces 1558

Second group The four ships built to this type (together with two similar vessels captured from the Scots) were four-masted galleasses with a higher forecastle. They also had three or four pairs of gunports on the lower deck, but also a couple of smaller pairs on the half-deck above.

  • New Bark (1543) – rebuilt as a galleon 1558
  • Swallow (1544) – rebuilt as a galleon 1558
  • Unicorn (captured 1544 from the Royal Scots Navy) – taken to pieces 1552
  • Salamander (built 1537 in France and captured 1544 from the Royal Scots Navy) – condemned 1559
  • Grand Mistress (1545) – sold to take to pieces 1552
  • Anne Gallant (1545) – gone by 1560

Last group Also four-masted, these were flush-decked vessels, with the forecastle joined to the half-deck to form a continuous upper deck.

  • Hart (1546) – rebuilt as a galleon 1558
  • Antelope 38 (1546) – rebuilt as a galleon 1558
  • Bull 26 (1546) – rebuilt as a galleon 1570
  • Tiger (1546) – rebuilt as a galleon 1570

Other small vessels

These were classed as pinnaces

    • Great Zebra (1522) – last recorded 1525
    • Less Zebra (1522) – last recorded 1525
    • Mary Grace (a hoy Mary of Homflete, captured 1522 from the French) – last recorded 1525
    • Great Pinnace (1544, but may have been the Great Zabra renamed) – last recorded 1545
    • Less Pinnace (1544, but may have been the Less Zabra renamed) – last recorded 1549
    • Falcon (1544) – listed as a ship from 1557, last recorded 1578
    • Roo (built 1545) – captured by the French 1547
    • Marlion or Martin (captured from the French 1545) – last recorded 1549
    • Saker (built 1545) – listed as a ship from 1557, last recorded 1565
    • Hind (built 1545) – listed as a ship from 1557, sold 1557
    • Brigantine (built 1545) – captured by the French 1552
    • Hare (built 1545) – sold 1573
    • Phoenix (purchased 1546) – listed as ship from 1557, rebuilt 1558 and sold 1573
    • Trego Ronnyger (1546) – last recorded 1549

Also in 1546, thirteen armed rowbarges of 20 tons each were built – Double Rose, Flower de Luce (captured by the French in 1562), Sun, Harp, Cloud in the Sun, Hawthorne, Three Ostrich Feathers, Falcon in the Fetterlock, Portcullis, Rose in the Sun, Maidenhead, Roseslip and Gillyflower. The first three of these were rebuilt in 1557–58 and classed as pinnaces, the next five named above were sold in 1548–49 (for £154.4.0d each) and the last five were condemned in 1552.

Edward VI (additions 1547–1553)

Notwithstanding the considerable number of minor additions below, few significant vessels were added during this brief reign, and the majority of those that were added are prizes. Except where a fate is stated below, all the following were only listed as king's ships in the year quoted in brackets, and did not appear subsequently in records.

Mary I (additions 1553–1558)

Contrary to the subsequent Elizabethan propaganda that Mary's reign neglected the Navy, this brief reign saw the addition of the first real galleons (all Henry's new or rebuilt big ships had been carracks) – the first three detailed below – and the rebuilding of six former galleasses to the galleon concept, as well as the commencement of a larger vessel ordered under the name Edward, which was to be launched as Elizabeth Jonas in the first few months of Elizabeth's reign.

Note the number of guns given above is nominal. The much greater figures usually quoted include small/light cast-iron (anti-personnel) weapons, whereas the figures quoted here reflect the approximate number of carriage-mounted heavy bronze guns positioned on the lower or upper deck for anti-ship fire.

Elizabeth I (additions 1558–1603)

List of English warships (1603–1642)

Number of carriage-mounted (or similar) guns follows name (see Rating system of the Royal Navy). For many early warships, the published "number of guns" included smaller anti-personnel weapons (mounted on swivels), whereas for strict comparison with later data only carriage-mounted heavy guns should be included.
The major ships (from 1618 onwards) are included in pages 158–159 of The Ship of the Line, Volume I, by Brian Lavery, published by Conways, 1983, ISBN   0-85177-252-8. Lesser warships ("below the line") are taken from A History of the Administration on the Royal Navy (sic!) 1509–1660, by Michael Oppenheim, published by the Bodley Head, 1896. Both lists are augmented from British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603–1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates, by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, 2009, ISBN   978-1-84832-040-6.

Major ships existing in 1618

New and Rebuilt Ships, James I (1603–1625)

For the first time, under the Stuart monarchy, a division of the Navy into different categories was initiated. The largest of the great ships were categorised as ships royal, while the remainder were grouped as middling ships or small ships.
Note that ships royal would under Charles I become the first rank (later first rate) ships; similarly, great ships would become the second rank (later second rate) ships; middling ships would become the third rank (later third rate) ships; and small ships would become the fourth rank (later fourth rate) ships – later to be further sub-divided (about 1650) into fourth, fifth and sixth rates.

New and rebuilt ships, Charles I (1625–1642)

Note that this list only included the first part of Charles's reign preceding the English Civil War (i.e. up to 1642), Subsequent acquisitions are listed in the following section.

Lesser ships

Early frigates

Captured ships, 1625–1636

List of major English warships of the English Civil War, the Commonwealth and Protectorate (1642–1660)

The interregnum between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the Restoration of royal authority in 1660 saw the full emergence of the ship-of-the-line and its employment during the first Anglo-Dutch War. During this period the English navy technically became first the Commonwealth Navy, later the Protectorate Navy and subsequently the Commonwealth Navy again; the prefix "HMS" is thus not applicable to any English warship during the Interregnum.

The following lists include ships of the line, i.e. vessels of the first, second, third and fourth rates which were judged fit to stand in the line of battle. Smaller warships of the fifth and sixth rates, and the even smaller unrated vessels, appear in the subsequent section.

Under the categorisation as amended in late 1653, the rates were based on the number of men in the established complement of a ship, as follows:

However, there were numerous exceptions, and ships changed their Rating from time to time.

Number of main guns follows name (see rating system of the Royal Navy)
The larger ships are listed in pages 159–160 of The Ship of the Line Volume I, by Brian Lavery, published by Conways, 1983, ISBN   0-85177-252-8, and more fully in British Warships in the Age of Sail: 1603–1714, by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, 2009, ISBN   978-1-84832-040-6. Lesser warships ("below the line") are taken from A History of the Administration on the Royal Navy (sic!) 1509–1660, by Michael Oppenheim, published by the Bodley Head, 1896, as well as from Winfield's book.
The frigates listed here are not the type of vessel known as frigates in the 18th and 19th centuries. The term in the 17th century signified a fast vessel, with low superstructure to give more stability.

First and second rates (three-decked ships)

A programme comprising four second rates of 60 guns each was adopted in 1654. However, of these four ships the Naseby was completed as a first rate, while the Richard was reclassed as a first rate in 1660 (and renamed).

Early frigates (fourth rates)

Later frigates (third and fourth rates)

Major rebuilds

Captures of the First Anglo-Dutch War

The following list covers only the major vessels, all taken from the Dutch and added to the Commonwealth Navy as fourth rates; several dozen further small vessels were also captured from the Dutch during this war, and added to the Protectorate Navy, usually as fifth rate or sixth rate vessels.

Captures from the Royalists

Captures from the Portuguese

Captures from the French

Other ships

For ships-of-the-line of the Royal Navy, successor to the Protectorate Navy after 1660, see List of ships of the line of the Royal Navy

List of smaller English warships of the English Civil War, the Commonwealth and Protectorate (1642–1660)

[n 1]

In principle, vessels with an established complement of fewer than 150 were classed (from late 1653) as fifth rate (with between 80 and 139 men), sixth rate (with between 50 and 79 men), or as unrated (with fewer than 50 men). However, there were numerous exceptions, and a large number of vessels changed categories during their service lives.

(note these six were ketch-rigged, three being classed as sixth rates and three being unrated)

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ This list has been completed for purpose-built craft, but numerous captured and purchased vessels need to be added.

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Resolution</i> List of ships with the same or similar names

Several ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Resolution. However, the first English warship to bear the name Resolution was actually the first rate Prince Royal, which was renamed Resolution in 1650 following the inauguration of the Commonwealth, and continued to bear that name until 1660, when the name Prince Royal was restored. The name Resolution was bestowed on the first of the vessels listed below:

Eleven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Antelope, after the Antelope:

Five ships and one shore establishment of the Royal Navy have been named HMS President, after the office of president meaning "one who presides over an assembly". In the case of the first two British ships, the name may have applied to the Lord President of the Privy Council.

Nineteen ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Lion or HMS Lyon, after the lion, an animal traditionally associated with courage, and also used in several heraldric motifs representing England, Scotland and the British Monarchy. Another ship was planned but never completed:

Sixteen ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Mermaid after the mermaid:

Sixteen vessels and two shore establishments of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Phoenix, after the legendary phoenix bird.

Several vessels of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Nonsuch, presumably named after Nonsuch Palace:

Eighteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Eagle, after the eagle.

Many ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Garland. The name dates back to 1242, being the oldest confirmed ship name in the Royal Navy.

Nine ships of the Royal Navy have been named Mary Rose. The first is thought to have been named after Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII of England, and the rose, the symbol of the Tudor dynasty. Later Mary Roses are named after the first.

Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Dragon.

Nonsuch was a 32-gun fourth-rate of the English Navy, built by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard and launched in 1646. She was in the Parliamentary force during the English Civil War, then the Commonwealth Navy and was incorporated into the Royal Navy after the Restoration in 1660. During her time in the Commonwealth Navy she partook in the Battles of Krntish Knock, Portland and Gabbard. She was wreck at Gibraltar in 1664.

English ship <i>Phoenix</i> (1647)

Phoenix was a fourth rate of the Kingdom of England. Her initial commission was in the Parliamentary Naval Force during the English Civil War. During the Anglo-Dutch War she was taken by the Dutch at the Battle of Montecristo. She was recaptured during the Battle of Leghorn by a boat attack. Recommissioned she participated in the Battle of Sheveningen. She went to the Mediterranean in 1658 and remained there until wrecked in December 1664.

Fifteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Mary:

HMS <i>Bonaventure</i> (1650)

President was a 38-gun fourth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard, and launched in 1650.

Thirty-nine vessels of the Royal Navy and its predecessors have borne the name Swallow, as has one dockyard craft, one naval vessel of the British East India Company, and at least two revenue cutters, all after the bird, the Swallow:

Twenty-two ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Fortune:

Fifteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Speedwell:

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Date of rebuild taken from p158, Lavery, Brian The Ship of the Line Volume I, pub Conways, 1983, ISBN   0-85177-252-8
  2. ↑ www.csubmarine.org: Chatham dockyard
  3. ↑ BBC: 'Superguns' of Elizabeth I's navy
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 p 158–159, Lavery, Brian The Ship of the Line Volume I, pub Conways, 1983, ISBN   0-85177-252-8
  5. ↑ 51 guns in 1622. How many it had earlier is not stated. p158 The Ship of the Line Volume I, by Brian Lavery, pub Conways, 1983, ISBN   0-85177-252-8
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 p 159–160, Lavery, Brian The Ship of the Line Volume I, pub Conways, 1983, ISBN   0-85177-252-8

Bibliography

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