HMS Stirling Castle (1775)

The unfortunate Loss of His Majesty's Ship Stirling Castle - after having been dismasted in the Great Hurricane Octr 6th 1780 - was wrecked near the Silver Keys, off the NE end of Island Hispaniola, by William Elliott and Valentine Green
History
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameStirling Castle
Ordered12 October 1768
BuilderChatham Dockyard
Laid downOctober 1769
Launched28 June 1775
FateWrecked, 5 October 1780
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeWorcester-class ship of the line
Tons burthen1377 2194 (bm)
Length159 ft (48 m) (gundeck)
Beam44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
Depth of hold19 ft 10 in (6.05 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 64 guns:
  • Gundeck: 26 × 24 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 10 × 4 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 9 pdrs

HMS Stirling Castle was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 28 June 1775 at Chatham.[1]

She was wrecked on 5 October 1780 on the Silver Keys, off Cap François, off the coast of Cuba with the loss of most of her crew.[2] As the Massachusetts ship Aurora was sailing from Boston to Port-au-Prince she came upon the wreckage of Stirling Castle and was able to save a midshipman and four seamen.[3]

  1. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p181.
  2. ^ "The Marine List". New Lloyd's List (1247). 6 March 1781.[dead link]
  3. ^ Hepper (1994), p.59.