British Sixth Rate frigate 'Circe' (1785)

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Circe	3612
Nominal Guns	28	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	6.3.1782	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	12.1782	BWAS-1714
Launched	30.9.1785	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	9.1790	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Dover - New Hampshire	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Enterprise Class (1771)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Henry LaddBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Sixth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Wrecked	16.11.1803	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck120' 6 ⅛"Imperial Feet36.5792
Length of Keel99' 5"Imperial Feet30.1893
Breadth33' 7 ¾"Imperial Feet10.0775
Depth in Hold11' 0"Imperial Feet3.3528
Burthen599 ⁵⁵⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

9.1790Broadside Weight = 177 Imperial Pound ( 80.2698 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck24 British 9-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
3.1.1771200Design Complement

9 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1.12.1787Captain ADM 6/23/439ADM 6/2310.9.1790 - 6.4.1792Captain ADM 6/24/66BWAS-17146.4.1792 - 4.2.1793Captain ADM 6/24/161BWAS-17144.2.1793 - 18.7.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/202BWAS-171430.8.1794 - 12.1797Captain ADM 6/25/75BWAS-171412.1797 - 1799CaptainBWAS-17141.1800 - 7.1802CaptainBWAS-17147.1802 - 6.1803CaptainBWAS-17146.1803 - 17.11.1803CaptainBWAS-1714

12 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
10.9.1790 - 20.9.1790Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/66ADM 6/2421.9.1790 - 10.12.1792First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/69ADM 6/2421.9.1790 - 21.4.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/69ADM 6/2422.4.1791 - 5.4.1792Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/118ADM 6/246.4.1792 - 15.1.1793First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/161ADM 6/246.4.1792 - 23.12.1792Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/161ADM 6/2416.4.1792 - 23.12.1792Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/162ADM 6/2424.12.1792 - 12.1.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/187ADM 6/2424.12.1792 - 8.1.1793Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/187ADM 6/2410.1.1793 - 5.12.1793Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/193ADM 6/2412.1.1793 - 1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/194ADM 6/2416.1.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/194ADM 6/24

Service History

DateEventSource
30.9.1785fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £2628.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.1790Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
2.11.1790Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £3489.0.0dBWAS-1714
10.1791Paid offBWAS-1714
4.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1792Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
5.1792Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £4285.0.0dBWAS-1714
5.4.1793Took the Privateer ref:692
5.1793Took the Ship ref:692
12.5.1793Took the Privateer ref:692
30.11.1793Took the Brig off Ushant
11.10.1797Battle of Camperdown
12.1797In the North SeaBWAS-1714
5.1798Attack on OstendBWAS-1714
8.1799In the HelderBWAS-1714
9.10.1799Took the Schooner in the Ems
9.10.1799Took the Corvette in the Ems
7.1800Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
9.1802Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1803Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
17.11.1803Wrecked on the Lemon & Ower Bank off Great YarmouthBWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
14.5.1798-20.5.1798	Raid on Ostend	Home Riggs PophamBritish Naval Sailor Service 1783-1820

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ref:692Jean Jacques Salein, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:35

Prize Money: Circe – Will be paid for the Frau Maria Decelice, on board, at Yarmouth. Recall, Messrs Stewart and Co, Yarmouth. [Portsmouth Telegraph, 16 December 1799]

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:29

Prize Money: Circe and Jalouse – Will be paid for the Ceres, on board. Recall, White Lion, Wych-street. [Portsmouth Telegraph, 16 December 1799]

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