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
Notes:	Ships in class include: London, Prince, Impregnable, Windsor Castle

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 (2003) 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.