London-class ship of the line

The London class ships of the line were a class of four second rates, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir Thomas Slade.

Class overview
Name: London
Operators:  Royal Navy
Preceded by: Sandwich class
Succeeded by: Barfleur class
In service: 24 May 1769 – 1839
Completed: 4
Lost: 1
General characteristics
Type: Ship of the line
Length:
  • 177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck)
  • 146 ft 6 in (44.65 m) (keel)
Beam: 49 ft (15 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Armament:
  • 90 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs
  • Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 9 pdrs
  • 98 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs
  • Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 8 × 12 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs
Notes: Ships in class include: London, Prince, Impregnable, Windsor Castle

Design

The first ship of the class, London, was a 90-gun ship. When the second batch of three ships was ordered several years later, they were specified as being 98-gun ships. This was achievable without significant modifications to the design thanks to the earlier practice of not arming the quarterdecks of second rates, thus allowing for the addition of 4 guns per side.

Ships
Builder: Chatham Dockyard
Ordered: 28 September 1759
Launched: 24 May 1766
Fate: Broken up, 1811
Builder: Woolwich Dockyard
Ordered: 9 December 1779
Launched: 4 July 1788
Fate: Broken up, 1837
Builder: Deptford Dockyard
Ordered: 13 September 1780
Launched: 15 April 1786
Fate: Wrecked, 1799
Builder: Deptford Dockyard
Ordered: 10 December 1782
Launched: 3 May 1790
Fate: Broken up, 1839

References
  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
  • Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.


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