HMS Southsea Castle (1696)

History
England
Name	HMS Southsea Castle
Ordered	3 May 1695
Builder	John Knowler, Redbridge (Southampton)
Launched	1 August 1696
Commissioned	1696
Fate	Wrecked on the Dove Sands off Hoylake (Wirral) on 15 September 1697
General characteristics as built
Class and type	32-gun fifth rate
Tons burthen	3736⁄94 tons (bm)
Length	106 ft 6 in (32.46 m) gundeck 88 ft 8 in (27.03 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	28 ft 1.5 in (8.57 m)
Depth of hold	10 ft 8.5 in (3.26 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	145/110
Armament	as built 32 guns 4/4 × demi-culverins (LD) 22/20 × 6-pdr guns (UD) 6/4 × 4-pdr guns (QD)

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by John Knowler of Redbridge (Southampton) in 1695/96.

She was the first vessel to bear the name Southsea Castle in the English and Royal Navy.^[1]