London-class ship of the line

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

HMS London
Class overview
Name	London
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Sandwich class
Succeeded by	Barfleur class
In service	24 May 1769 – 1839
Completed	4
Lost	1
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Length	177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck) 146 ft 6 in (44.65 m) (keel)
Beam	49 ft (15 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Armament	90 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 9 pdrs 98 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 8 × 12 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs

Design

The first ship of the class, London, 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

• HMS London

Builder: Chatham Dockyard

Ordered: 28 September 1759

Launched: 24 May 1766

Fate: Broken up, 1811

• HMS Prince

Builder: Woolwich Dockyard

Ordered: 9 December 1779

Launched: 4 July 1788

Fate: Broken up, 1837

• HMS Impregnable

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 13 September 1780

Launched: 15 April 1786

Fate: Wrecked, 1799

• HMS Windsor Castle

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 10 December 1782

Launched: 3 May 1790

Fate: Broken up, 1839

References

• Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
• Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.