British Fifth Rate ship 'Colchester' (1654)

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Colchester
Nominal Guns	24	BWAS-1603
Nationality	Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
Operator	State Navy
Acquired	23.2.1653/54	BWAS-1603
First Commissioned	2.1654	B028
Shipyard	Great Yarmouth - Norfolk	BWAS-1603
Constructor	Henry EdgarBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1603
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1603
Ship Type	Ship	B028
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	B028
Sunk in Action	24.3.1666/67	BWAS-1603

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1603
Length of Keel83' 0"Imperial Feet25.2984
Breadth25' 6"Imperial Feet7.6505
Depth in Hold11' 0"Imperial Feet3.3528
Draught Aft12' 0"Imperial Feet3.6576
Burthen287 ⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1666Broadside Weight = 108.5 Imperial Pound ( 49.205 kg)BWAS-1603
Gun Deck18 British Demi-Culverin
Gun Deck10 British Saker

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1654100 BWAS-1603
1660100 BWAS-1603
1666110 BWAS-1603
1667125Establishment for war abroadBWAS-1603
1667100Establishment for war at homeBWAS-1603
166775Establishment for peaceBWAS-1603

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1654 - 1656CaptainBWAS-16031656 - 1660CaptainBWAS-16031661 - 1662CaptainTRN22.4.1661 - 4.9.1662CaptainB0519.9.1664 - 12.6.1665CaptainB05113.6.1665 - 3.6.1666CaptainB0512.7.1666 - 24.3.1666/67Captain†B051

Service History

DateEventSource
20.4.1657Battle of Santa Cruz
1660Off IrelandBWAS-1603
1661to TangierBWAS-1603
31.7.1661At AlgiersBWAS-1603
3.6.1665Battle of Lowestoft
4.6.1665Took the East Indiaman
25.7.1666St James Day Battle
24.3.1666/67Sunk in action with the FrenchBWAS-1603

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1659-1659	British Baltic Fleet 1659	Edward MontaguBritish Naval Sailor Service 1656-1672

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

B028J. J. Colledge, Book

B051John Charnock, Digital Book

BWAS-1603Rif Winfield, Book

TRN2William Laird Clowes, Digital Book

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:15	Jon Miller	Mark RobinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1787
Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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