London-class ship of the line explained

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

Design

The first ship of the class,, 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