HMS ''Centurion'' was one of six 40-gun

fourth-rate In 1603 all English warships with a compliment of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers a six tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided i ...

frigates, built for the

Commonwealth of England The Commonwealth was the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed as a republic after the end of the Second English Civil War and the trial and e ...

under the 1650 Programme, she would be transferred to the navy of the

Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. On ...

upon the Restoration of the monarchy in May 1660. When commissioned she partook in the

First Anglo-Dutch War The First Anglo-Dutch War, or simply the First Dutch War, ( nl, Eerste Engelse (zee-)oorlog, "First English (Sea) War"; 1652–1654) was a conflict fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces ...

. After the first war ended she was in the Mediterranean fighting the Algerines at the Battle of Santa Cruz. She fought the battles of Dover, Portland, the Gabbard, and Scheveningen. During the

Second Anglo-Dutch War The Second Anglo-Dutch War or the Second Dutch War (4 March 1665 – 31 July 1667; nl, Tweede Engelse Oorlog "Second English War") was a conflict between England and the Dutch Republic partly for control over the seas and trade routes, whe ...

she partook in the battles of Lowestoft and Orfordness. Following the second war she spent her time either in North America or the Mediterranean. She was wrecked in a storm in December 1689. ''Centurion'' was the first named vessel in the English and Royal Navy.

Construction and specifications

She was one of six frigates ordered in December 1649. She would be built under contract by Peter Pett I of Ratcliffe at a contract price of £6.10.0dThe cost accounting for inflation of approximately £ in reference to today per ton. She was launched in 1650. Her dimensions were keel for tonnage with a breadth of and a depth of hold of . Her tonnage was tons.Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p160. Her gun armament in 1653 was 50 guns. In 1666 her armament was 48 guns and consisted of twenty culverinsThe culverin was a gun of 4,500 pounds with a 5.5 inch bore firing a 17.5 pound shot with an twelve pound powder charge on the lower deck (LD), twenty-two demi-culverinesThe demi-culverin was a gun of 3,400 pounds with a four inch bore firing a 9.5 pound shot with an eight pound powder charge on the upper deck two 6-pounder gunsThe 6-pounder gun was a weapon of Dutch manufacture. These guns were highly favoured by the British and used and copied extensively and four sakersThe sacar or saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge on the quarterdeck (QD). In 1677 her gun establishment was unchanged except now the upper deck was supposed to have 8-pounder guns but she actually carried 6-pounder guns. By 1681 her gun count had risen to 52 guns consisting of twenty-two culverins, twenty-two 8-pounder gunsThe 8-pounder gun was a weapon of Dutch manufacture. These guns were not liked by the British and were used only when there was no other option and eight minions.The minion was a gun of 1,000 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge Under the 1685 Establishment her guns had dropped to 50 guns consisting of twenty-two culverin drakes,Drakes are a lightweight cannon that fired mainly grapeshot twenty two 8-pounder guns and six saker cutts.The cutt was a gun that had been shortened due to damage Her manning was 180 personnel in 1653 and remained so until 1688 when it was 230/200/150 personnel. She was complete at an initial cost of £3,451.10.0d.The cost accounting for inflation of approximately £ in reference to today

Commissioned service

Service in the Commonwealth Navy

She was commissioned in 1650 under the command of Captain William Penn. In 1651 she was under Captain John Lawson for service in Scottish Waters. Later in the year she sail with William Penn's Squadron to the Mediterranean.

First Anglo-Dutch War

In 1652 she was under Captain Walter Wood. She was at the Battle of Dover on 19 May 1652. She followed that with the

Battle of Portland The naval Battle of Portland, or Three Days' Battle took place during 18–20 February 1653 (28 February – 2 March 1653 (Gregorian calendar)), during the First Anglo-Dutch War, when the fleet of the Commonwealth of England under General at ...

as a member of Robert Blakes Squadron on the 18 February 1653. She was involved in the

Battle of the Gabbard The naval Battle of the Gabbard, also known as the Battle of Gabbard Bank, the Battle of the North Foreland or the Second Battle of Nieuwpoort took place on 2–3 June 1653 (12–13 June 1653 Gregorian calendar). during the First Anglo-Dutch War ...

as a member of White Squadron, Van Division on 2-3 June 1653. She partook in the

Battle of Scheveningen The Battle of Scheveningen (also known as the Battle of Ter Heijde) was the final naval battle of the First Anglo-Dutch War. It took place on 31 July 1653 (10 August on the Gregorian calendar), between the fleets of the Commonwealth of England ...

as a member of White Squadron, Van Division on 25 July 1653. Later in 1653 she was under Captain Robert Nixon for the winter of 1653/54 on the Dutch coast. She joined Robert Blake's Fleet in the Mediterranean in 1655. In 1656 she was under the command of Captain Anthony Spatchurst. She was at the Battle of Santa Cruz on 20 April 1657. During 1659/60 she was under command of Captain Francis Parke for operations in the Sound.

Service After the Restoration May 1660

Later in 1660 she was under the command of Captain John Coppin. On 22 March 1661 she under Captain Christopher Myngs until 2 September 1663.

Second Anglo-Dutch War

On 17 August 1664 she was under command of Captain Robert Moulton. As a member of Blue Squadron, Center Division she participated in the

Battle of Lowestoft The Battle of Lowestoft took place on during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer, Lord Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size comm ...

on 3 June 1665. On 13 June 1665 she was under Captain Daniel Helling. On 25 August 1665 she was under command of Captain Mark Harrison. Captain John Hubbard took over on 22 February 1666. She partook in the

St James Day Battle The St James' Day Battle took place on 25 July 1666 (4 August 1666 in the Gregorian calendar), during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. It was fought between an English fleet commanded jointly by Prince Rupert of the Rhine and George Monck, and ...

as a member of White Squadron, Van Division from 25 June to 6 July 1666. Captain Charles Wylde took over on 7 July 1666 until 19 March 1667. In 1668 She was under command of Captain William Coleman. On 9 April 1669 she was under Captain Peter Bowen sailing with Sir Thomas Allin's squadron in the Mediterranean. On 1 February 1673 Captain Wylde took command once more (until 3 October 1674) remaining in the Mediterranean. Captain Roger Strickland was her commander from 23 November to 24 December 1677. Captain Richard Carter was her commander from 11 January 1678 to 24 October 1681. Captain Ralph Wrenn took over on 12 June 1682 for a newfoundland convoy in 1682 then for service in Home Waters until 17 August 1685. In August 1688 she returned to active service under Captain Thomas Ashton quickly followed by Captain Francis Wheeler in September and later in 1688 Captain Edward Elliot. On 21 April 1689 she came under command of Captain Basil Beaumont.

Loss

She was wrecked in a storm in Plymouth Sound on 25 December 1689.Winfield 8

Notes

Citations

References

* Lavery, Brian (2003) ''The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850.'' Conway Maritime Press. . * British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603 – 1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © Rif Winfield 2009, EPUB ISBN 978-1-78346-924-6 # Fleet Actions, 1.1 Battle of Dover # Fleet Actions, 1.5 Battle off Portland (the 'Three Days' Battle') # Fleet Actions, 1.7 Battle of the Gabbard (North Foreland) # Fleet Actions, 1.8 Battle of Scheveningen (off Texel) # Fleet Actions, 2.2 Battle of Santa Cruz # Fleet Actions, 3.1 Battle of Lowestoft # Fleet Actions, 3.4 Battle of Orfordness ('the St James Day Battle') # Chapter 4, The Fourth Rates - 'Small Ships', Vessels acquired from 24 March 1603, 1650 Programme, Centurion * Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. Colledge, revised and updated by Lt Cdr Ben Warlow and Steve Bush, published by Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, Great Britain, © 2020, EPUB , Section R (Reserve) * The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600 - 1815, by Brian Lavery, published by US Naval Institute Press © Brian Lavery 1989, , Part V Guns, Type of Guns {{DEFAULTSORT:Centurion (1650) Ships of the line of the Royal Navy Ships built in Ratcliff Shipwrecks 1650s ships 17th-century maritime incidents Maritime incidents in 1689