British Fifth Rate frigate 'Circe' (1804)

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Yarmouth (64) 1745-1811
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1745)
Somerset (68) 1748-1778
British 68 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1748)
Santisima Trinidad (136) 1805-1805
British 136 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1805)
Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (116) 1769-1805
Spanish 116 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1769)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Magicienne (32) 1781-1810
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
L'Africaine (18) 1796-1796
French 18 Gun
Unrated Unknown
(1796)
Quebec (32) 1781-1816
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
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Diamond (38) 1794-1812
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
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Circe
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1793
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	16.3.1804	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	6.1804	BWAS-1793
Launched	17.11.1804	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth	BWAS-1793
Designed by	William BatelyBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1741-1755	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Joseph TuckerBritish Ship Builder Administrator Dockyard Staff Service 1802-1831	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Sold	20.8.1814	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck127' 0"Imperial Feet38.7096
Length of Keel106' 10 ⅞"Imperial Feet32.331
Breadth34' 4"Imperial Feet10.3886
Depth in Hold11' 9"Imperial Feet3.5814
Burthen670 ²⁵⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

17.11.1804Broadside Weight = 300 Imperial Pound ( 136.05 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 24-Pound Carronade
Forecastle4 British 24-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1804215Design Complement

5 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
11.1804 - 6.1806CaptainBWAS-179328.6.1806 - 1808CaptainW02530.11.1808 - 2.1809CommanderBWAS-17932.1809 - 7.1809CaptainBWAS-17937.1809 - 1814CaptainBWAS-1793

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
12.1804 - 1.3.1805LieutenantNBD184911.8.1812 - 1813First LieutenantNBD1849

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1.1805 - 26.11.1805Master's MateNBD18491810MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
6.1804Began First cost, including fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
13.2.1805Completed First cost, including fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £16610.0.0dBWAS-1793
1.3.1805Took the Schooner off Oporto
21.6.1805Took the Schooner BG
1806In the West IndiesBWAS-1793
2.1.1807Took the Privateer by boats in the West Indies
5.4.1807Took the Sloop in the West Indies
2.3.1808Capture of Marie-Galante
2.3.1808Took the by landing party
1.11.1808Took the Sloop off Diamond Rock
12.12.1808Destroyed near Pearl RockBWAS-1793
12.12.1808Action at St Pierre
28.1.1809Capture of Martinique
17.2.1810Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
1811In the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
7.1812At PortsmouthBWAS-1793
15.11.1812Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1793
14.5.1813Took the Schooner
1814In Ordinary at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
20.8.1814Sold at Portsmouth for £1,900BWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

W025P. Davis, Web Site

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Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 23rd of July 2026 13:29	keith wilkie	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Yarmouth' (1745) (64) 1745-1811 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Thursday 23rd of July 2026 13:13	keith wilkie	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Somerset' (1748) (68) 1748-1778 British 68 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
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