HMS Benbow (1813)

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

HMS Benbow was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Brent of Rotherhithe and launched on 3 February 1813.^[1]

Tortosa, 23rd September 1840, attack by the boats of HMS Benbow, Carysfort and Zebra, under Captain J.F. Ross, R.N.

Benbow is in this picture of the Battle of St. Jean d'Acre, 3 November 1840

Benbow's sister ship HMS Duncan
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Benbow
Ordered	11 June 1808
Builder	Brent, Rotherhithe
Laid down	July 1808
Launched	3 February 1813
Fate	Broken up, 1895
Notes	Coal hulk from August 1859
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Vengeur-class ship of the line
Tons burthen	1773 bm
Length	176 ft (54 m) (gundeck)
Beam	47 ft 6 in (14.48 m)
Depth of hold	21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders Quarterdeck: 4 × 12-pounders, 10 × 32-pounder carronades Forecastle: 2 × 12-pounders, 2 × 32-pounder carronades Poop deck: 6 × 18-pounder carronades

In 1840 Benbow saw action in the bombardment of the city of Acre under the command of Admiral Robert Stopford. At the height of the battle either Benbow or the naval steamer HMS Gorgon fired the shell that destroyed Acre's powder magazine, causing an explosion that greatly weakened the city's defences.^[2]

Benbow was used for harbour service from February 1848 until August 1859, when she was converted to be used as a coal hulk. In 1892, after 79 years of service, she was sold out of the Navy, and was broken up in 1895 at Castle, Woolwich.^[1]

Figurehead

The figurehead of Benbow is carved in the likeness of Vice Admiral John Benbow; a celebrated naval figure famed for seeing action against the Barbary corsairs, his exploits against the French and his death in active service.^[3]

Carved in the form of a bust, Benbow is depicted in black armour. This was repainted metallic silver in the 1950s, before returning to the black the figurehead is seen in today.

Once removed from the ship in 1895, the figurehead became part of the collection at Chatham and featured in the Admiralty Catalogue of 1911. The figurehead did not join the Portsmouth collection until the 1940s.^[4]

The figurehead is now part of the collection of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth.^[5]