The design was to initiate standardisation in the ships to include the mast structures, rigging to stabilise the masts, and the sail plans. Included in this standardisation were the ordnance carried and crew size. The dimensions of the ships were to a standardised formula, though individual shipbuilders were still allowed to tweak the designs of individual ships. The standardised dimensions were for a gundeck of 150feet with a keel (length for tonnage calculation) of 121feet with a breadth of 39feet and a depth of hold on 17feet to obtain a builder’s measure tonnage of 1,012 tons.
The vessels were to have twenty-six gunports on both the lower and upper decks split evenly at thirteen per deck per side. Three vessels (Lenox, Hampton Court, and Captain) were initially to be completed with only twelve-gunports on the upper deck per side. The initial gun establishment would be for 70 guns in wartime and 62 guns for peacetime consisting of twenty-six demi-cannons (54 cwt, 9.5 ft) on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns (32 cwt, 9 ft) on the upper deck, ten sakers (16 cwt, 7 ft) on the quarterdeck and four sakers (16 cwt, 7 ft) on the foc's'le with four 3-pounder guns (5 cwt, 5 ft) on the poop deck or roundhouse.
As time progressed the established armament of the ships changed. In 1685 the gun armament changed to twenty-two demi-cannons and four culverins on the lower deck with the remaining guns being unchanged, In 1703 the guns were changed again. The Establishment for a 70/62-gun Third Rate was now twenty-four/twenty-two 24-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-six/twenty-four 9-pounder guns on the upper deck, Twelve/ten 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck, four/two 6-pounder guns on the foc’s’le, and four 4-pounder guns on the poop deck or roundhouse. The actual composition of the gun armaments varied and will be specified on the individual ship articles.
The established crew complement for a Third Rate for sailors (personnel for the working of sails and rigging) would initially be 160 personnel, though it was later reduced to 150 personnel. Each gun would be assigned a specific gun manning: i.e. six men for a demi-cannon (or 32-pounder), culverins (or 18-pounder) would have five men, a 12-pounder would have four, sakers would have three men per gun and 5-pounders would have two men per gun.[2] The establishment for a Third Rate was for a crew of 460/380/300 personnel based on the armament carried and whether it was wartime or peacetime conditions and the number of guns carried.
Within this programme many new names would be instituted. Four vessels would be named for the illegitimate sons of the King, Charles II. HMS Lenox would be named for Charles Lennox, created the Duke of Lennox in 1675. HMS Burford would be named for Charles Beauclerk, created the Duke of Burford in 1676. HMS Grafton was named for Henry Fitzroy, created the Duke of Grafton in 1675. HMS Northumberland was named for George Fitzroy, created the Duke of Northumberland in 1678.
| Ship's Name | Builder | Launch Date | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deptford Dockyard | 18 April 1678 |
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| Deptford Dockyard | 10 July 1678 |
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| Chatham Dockyard | November 1678 |
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| Harwich Dockyard | 28 May 1678 |
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| Chatham Dockyard | May 1679 |
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| Woolwich Dockyard | November 1679 |
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| Portsmouth Dockyard | 31 January 1679 |
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| Portsmouth Dockyard | 10 September 1679 |
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| Woolwich Dockyard | 17 May 1679 |
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| Chatham Dockyard | 1679 |
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| Francis Bayley, Bristol | June 1679 |
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| Woolwich Dockyard | 1678 |
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| Ship's Name | Builder | Launch Date | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Henry Johnson, Blackwall | 1679 |
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| Sir Henry Johnson, Blackwall | 1679 |
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| Sir Henry Johnson, Blackwall | March 1680 |
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| Sir Henry Johnson, Blackwall | May 1680 |
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| Robert Castle, Deptford | 1678 |
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| Robert Castle, Deptford | 3 March 1679 |
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| Deptford Dockyard | 29 July 1679 |
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| Harwich Dockyard | 26 September 1679 |
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