HMS Suffolk (1680)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Suffolk.

Drawing of the launching of the ship by Van de Velde the Elder, 1680.
History
Royal Navy EnsignKingdom of England
NameHMS Suffolk
Ordered20 February 1678
BuilderSir Henry Johnson, Blackwall Yard
LaunchedMay 1680
Commissioned11 August 1680
Honours and
awards
  • Barfleur 1692
  • Gibraltar 1704
  • Velez-Malaga 1704
FateBroken up, 1765
General characteristics as built
Class and type70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen104123⁄94 tons(bm)
Length
  • 150 ft 10 in (45.97 m) gundeck
  • 121 ft 4 in (36.98 m) keel for tonnage
Beam40 ft 2 in (12.24 m)
Draught18 ft (5.49 m)
Depth of hold16 ft 9.5 in (5.12 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 1677 Establishment 72/60 guns
  • 26 × demi-cannons 54 cwt – 9.5 ft (LD)
  • 26 × 12-pdr guns 32 cwt – 9 ft (UD)
  • 10 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (QD)
  • 4 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (Fc)
  • 5 × 5 3-pdr guns 5 cwt – 5 ft (RH)
General characteristics after 1699 rebuild
Class and type70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1,07517⁄94 tons (bm)
Length
  • 151 ft 4 in (46.13 m) gundeck
  • 124 ft 0 in (37.8 m) keel for tonnage
Beam40 ft 4.5 in (12.3 m)
Depth of hold16 ft 7.5 in (5.1 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 26 × demi-cannons 54 cwt - 9.5 ft (LD)
  • 26 × 12-pdr guns 32 cwt – 9 ft (UD)
  • 10 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (QD)
  • 4 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (Fc)
  • 5 × 5 3-pdr guns 5 cwt – 5 ft (RH)
General characteristics after 1718 rebuild
Class and type1706 Establishment 70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1,1294⁄94 tons (bm)
Length
  • 151 ft 4 in (46.1 m) gundeck
  • 125 ft 3 in (38.2 m) keel for tonnage
Beam41 ft 2 in (12.5 m)
Depth of hold17 ft 4 in (5.3 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 70 guns:
  • 26 × 24=pdr guns (LD)
  • 26 × 12-pdr guns (UD)
  • 14 × 6-pdr guns (QD)
  • 4 × 6-pdr guns (Fc)
General characteristics after 1739 rebuild[1]
Class and type70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1,2248⁄94 tons (bm)
Length
  • 151 ft 0 in (46.0 m) gundeck
  • 122 ft 1 in (37.2 m) keel for tonnage
Beam43 ft 5 in (13.2 m)
Depth of hold17 ft 9 in (5.4 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 70 guns:
  • 26 × 24=pdr guns (LD)
  • 26 × 12-pdr guns (UD)
  • 14 × 6-pdr guns (QD)
  • 4 × 6-pdr guns (Fc)

HMS Suffolk was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by contract of 20 February 1678 by Sir Henry Johnson at Blackwall. She participated in the War of the English Succession 1689 - 1697, in the Battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur. She was rebuilt in 1699. She was actively involved in the War of Spanish Succession 1702 - 1713. Her later career was as guard ship duties, deployments to the Baltic Sea and the West Indies. She was finally broken in 1765 after lying in Ordinary for almost twenty years.

She was the first vessel to bear the name Suffolk in the English and Royal Navy.[2]

HMS Suffolk was awarded the Battle Honours Barfleur 1692,[3] Gibraltar 1704,[4] and Velez-Malaga 1704.[5]

  1. ^ Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p170.
  2. ^ Colledge (2020)
  3. ^ Thomas (1998), Section B, Barfleur
  4. ^ Thomas (1998), Section G, Gibraltar
  5. ^ Thomas (1998), Section V, Velez Malaga