HMS Bridgewater (1698)

HMS Bridgewater was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Sheerness Dockyard in 1697/98.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Bridgewater.

History
Royal Navy EnsignEngland
NameHMS Bridgewater
Ordered15 February 1697
BuilderSheerness Dockyard
Launched30 May 1698
Commissioned1699
FateBroken at Deptford in April 1738
General characteristics as built
Class and type32-gun fifth rate
Tons burthen41137⁄94 tons (bm)
Length
  • 110 ft 5 in (33.66 m) gundeck
  • 90 ft 11 in (27.71 m) keel for tonnage
Beam29 ft 2 in (8.89 m)
Depth of hold11 ft 5.5 in (3.49 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Complement145/110
Armament
  • as built 32 guns
  • 4/4 x demi-culverins (LD)
  • 22/20 x 6-pdr guns (UD)
  • 6/4 x 4-pdr guns (QD)

She was the second vessel to bear the name Bridgewater since it was used for a 58-gun ship built at Deptford in 1654, renamed Anne in May 1660 and blown up at Sheerness on 2 December 1673.[1]

Construction and Specifications

She was ordered on 15 February 1697 to be built at Sheerness Dockyard under the guidance of Master Shipwright Robert Shortiss. She was launched on 30 May 1698. Her dimensions were a gundeck of 110 feet 5 inches (33.66 metres) with a keel of 90 feet 11 inches (27.71 metres) for tonnage calculation with a breadth of 29 feet 2 inches (8.89 metres) and a depth of hold of 11 feet 5.5 inches (3.49 metres). Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 41137⁄94 tons (burthen).[2]

The gun armament initially was four demi-culverins[3][Note 1] 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 6-pounder guns[4][Note 2] with ten or eleven guns per side. The gun battery would be completed by four 4-pounder guns[5][Note 3] on the quarterdeck (QD) with two to three guns per side.[6]

Commissioned Service 1699-1738

HMS Bridgewater was commissioned in 1699 under the command of Captain Thomas Dilkes for service in Irish Waters. In 1702 she was under Captain Richard Griffith followed by Captain Thomas Lawrence in October 1704. She remained in Irish waters. She was in action against two privateers off Kinsale, Ireland on 16 May 1705. Captain Walter Pigot was in command in 1707 still in Irish Waters, In 1711 she escorted a Russian convoy. She underwent a large repair at Chatham in 1712. Captain John Fletcher was in command in 1715 for service in the English Channel. She sailed to the Mediterranean and Sale, Morocco in 1717.[2]

She was repaired at Woolwich at a cost of £2,251.10.8.5d[Note 4] between February and June 1718 then was placed in Ordinary. She was converted by Admiralty Order (AO) March 1727 to a 8-gun fireship with a crew of 55 personnel at Woolwich Dockyard in March/April 1727. She was recommissioned in 1727 under Captain John Temple for service with Sir Charles Wager's Fleet in the Baltic.[7] She was fitted at Sheerness for £854.6.0d[Note 5] in June/July 1732. She was fitted at Sheerness for £415.14.1d[Note 6] in March/April 1734. She was commissioned un Commander Deorge Peacock (until 1737) for service with Sir John Norris's Fleet. She was repaired at Sheerness for £272.10.7d[Note 7] in December 1736 then assigned as guard ship at Sheerness.[2]

Disposition

She was broken at Deptford Dockyard in April 1738.[2]

Notes
  1. A demi-culverin was a gun of 3,400 pounds with a four inch bore firing a 9.5 pound shot with an eight pound powder charge
  2. A 6-ponder was a Dutch gun used to replace the saker
  3. A minion renamed the 4-pounder was a gun of 1,000 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge.
  4. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £374,900 in today's money
  5. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £156,100 in today's money
  6. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £71,300 in today's money
  7. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £45,200 in today's money

Citations
  1. Colledge (2020)
  2. Winfred 2009, Ch 5, The Fifth Rates, Vessels acquired from 16 December 1688, Fifth Rates of 32 and 36 guns, 1694 Programme, Bridgewater
  3. Lavery (1989), Part V, Ch 18, culverins, page 101
  4. Lavery (1989), Part V, Ch 18, The 6-pounder, page 102
  5. Lavery (1989), Part V, Ch 18, Minion or 4-pounder, page 103
  6. Winfred 2009, Ch 5, The Fifth Rates, Vessels acquired from 16 December 1688, Fifth Rates of 32 and 36 guns, 1694 Programme
  7. Clowes (1898), Chapter XXVII, page 43

References
  • Winfield (2009), British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603 – 1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2009, EPUB ISBN 978-1-78346-924-6
  • Winfield (2007), British Warships in the Age of Sail (1714 – 1792), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2007, EPUB ISBN 978-1-78346-925-3
  • Colledge (2020), Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. Colledge, revised and updated by Lt Cdr Ben Warlow and Steve Bush, published by Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, Great Britain, © 2020, EPUB ISBN 978-1-5267-9328-7
  • Lavery (1989), The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600 - 1815, by Brian Lavery, published by US Naval Institute Press © Brian Lavery 1989, ISBN 978-0-87021-009-9, Part V Guns, Type of Guns
  • Clowes (1898), The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to the Present (Vol. II). London. England: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, © 1898
  • Clowes (1898), The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to the Present (Vol. III). London. England: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, © 1898
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