Anchorite had a displacement of 1360LT when at the surface and 1590LT while submerged. It had a total length of 293feet, a beam of 22feet, and a draught of 18feet. The submarine was powered by two Admiralty ML eight-cylinder diesel engines generating each. Four electric motors each producing drove two shafts.[2] It could carry a maximum of 219LT of diesel, although it usually carried between 159LT165LT.[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.5kn and a submerged speed of 8kn.[3] When submerged, it could operate at 3kn for 90nmi or at 8kn for 16nmi. When surfaced, it was able to travel 15200nmi at 10kn or 10500nmi at 11kn.[2] Anchorite was fitted with ten 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one QF 4 inch naval gun Mk XXIII, one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, and a .303 British Vickers machine gun. Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the bow and stern, and it could carry twenty torpedoes. Its complement was sixty-one crew members.[2]
Anchorite was laid down at Vickers-Armstrongs' Barrow-in-Furness shipyard on 19 July 1945, was launched on 22 January 1946 and completed on 18 November 1947.
During build and before launch the names of Anchorite and HMS Amphion were switched. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[4]
Anchorite ran aground in Rothesay Bay, Firth of Forth, on 12 October 1956.[5] On 3 October 1960, Anchorite, which was a member of the 4th Submarine Squadron based at Sydney, hit an uncharted rock in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, New Zealand at a depth of 110feet. No-one was injured in the incident. The submarine's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander W. L. Owen, was cleared of any blame for the incident to the resulting court martial.[6] The rock is now known as Anchorite Rock on the nautical charts of the area at depth, 16 m, -36.4333°N 183°W.