HMS Defence (1763)

HMS Defence at the Battle of the Glorious First of June 1794, dismasted and with severe injury to the hull, by Nicholas Pocock
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Defence
Ordered	15 December 1758
Builder	Israel Pownoll, Plymouth Dockyard
Launched	31 March 1763
Fate	Wrecked, 24 December 1811
Notes	Participated in: Battle of Cape St Vincent Battle of Cuddalore Glorious First of June Battle of the Nile Battle of Trafalgar
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Bellona-class ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,6038⁄94 (bm)
Length	168 ft (51.2 m) (gundeck)
Beam	46 ft 9 in (14.2 m)
Draught	21 ft 6 in (6.6 m)
Depth of hold	19 ft 9 in (6.0 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounder guns QD: 14 × 9-pounder guns Fc: 4 × 9-pounder guns

HMS Defence was a 74-gun Bellona-class third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 31 March 1763 at Plymouth Dockyard. She was one of the most famous ships of the period, taking part in several of the most important naval battles of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. In 1811 she was wrecked off the coast of Jutland with the loss of almost her entire crew.