HMS Stirling Castle (1742)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Stirling Castle.

HMS Stirling Castle was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment, and launched on 24 April 1742.

French Firerafts Attacking the British Fleet off Quebec, 28 June 1759 by Samuel Scott. The left foreground of the picture is taken up with the anchored British fleet in which Saunders' flagship, Stirling Castle, is in starboard-quarter view in the foreground just left of centre.
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Stirling Castle
Ordered	6 August 1739
Builder	John Ward, Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	25 August 1740
Launched	24 April 1742
Completed	30 May 1742
Commissioned	May 1742
Decommissioned	September 1762
In service	1742–1747 1755–1762
Out of service	1762
Fate	Scuttled on 14 September 1762
Notes	Participated in: Battle of Toulon Battle of Havana
General characteristics
Class & type	1733 proposals 70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1225 40⁄94 bm
Length	151 ft (46.0 m) (gundeck) 121 ft 9 in (37.1 m) (keel)
Beam	43 ft 6 in (13.3 m)
Depth of hold	17 ft 9 in (5.4 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	480
Armament	1742–1756: 70 guns comprising: Gundeck: 26 × 24-pounder guns Upper deck: 26 × 12-pounder guns Quarterdeck: 14 × 6-pounder guns Forecastle: 4 × 6-pounder guns 1756–1762 Gundeck: 26 × 24-pounder guns Upper deck: 26 × 12-pounder guns Quarterdeck: 10 × 6-pounder guns Forecastle: 2 × 6-pounder guns

Service

Whilst under the command of Captain Thomas Cooper, Stirling Castle took part in the Battle of Toulon on 11 February 1744. Stirling Castle was the lead ship in Rear-Admiral William Rowley's van division of Admiral Thomas Mathews' fleet that engaged the France-Spanish fleet. After the battle several officers were court-martialed, including Captain Cooper who appeared on 12 May at Port Mahon, where he was dismissed the service. He was immediately restored to his former rank and command however, as the charges against him were not deemed detrimental to either his professional honour or his ability as a sea officer.^[1]

On 15 April 1746, Stirling Castle captured the 24-gun frigate Volage. However, Oriflamme recaptured her the day after.^[2]

Stirling Castle was recommissioned in July 1755 under Captain Samuel Cornish, previously of Guernsey. Recruitment proved challenging and Cornish resorting to extensive use of press gangs in order to find enough men. Midshipman Edward Thompson wrote that of the 480 men aboard the vessel fully "two hundred and twenty-five were the pressed refuse of gaols and the scum of the streets."^[3]

Despite these difficulties the newly restored vessel was able to return to sea from July 1756, serving as escort to troop transports from London to New York and then to the West Indies.^[4]

Stirling Castle took part in the Battle of Havana in 1762.^[4] She was subsequently declared unserviceable and was stripped and scuttled in the upper reaches of Havana harbour on 14 September 1762 on the orders of Admiral George Pocock.^[4]

Shown here as a member Sir George Pocock's Blue Squadron, circa 1762