British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Medway' (1755)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Pedro de Linze y BerasteguiSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1754-1769
Update
Galga (36) 1744-1784
Spanish 36 Gun
Privateer Frigate
Added
Lorenzo BeyenisSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1769
Update
Juan Agustin de IradySpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Guipuzcoano (64) 1778-1780
Spanish 64 Gun
Merchant Ship of the Line
Update
San Rafael (30) 1774-1780
Spanish 30 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Update
Luis ArburuSpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Fermín UrtizbereaSpanish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780
Update
San Carlos (32) 1772-1780
Spanish 32 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
See more...

Medway ➡ 1802 Arundel	5339
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	28.3.1751	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	13.6.1751	BWAS-1714
Named	25.4.1741	BWAS-1714
Launched	14.2.1755	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Medway Class (1752)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	3.1811	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck149' 4"Imperial Feet45.4173
Length of Keel123' 0 ½"Imperial Feet37.5031
Breadth42' 10 ¾"Imperial Feet12.8207
Depth in Hold18' 6"Imperial Feet5.5055
Draught Forward10' 0"Imperial Feet3.048
Draught Aft16' 3"Imperial Feet4.8895
Burthen1,204 ²⁵⁄₉₄Tons BM
Burthen1,191 ⁴¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

14.2.1755Broadside Weight = 474 Imperial Pound ( 214.959 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
12.1752420Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
30.1.1755 - 15.11.1756Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/126BWAS-171415.11.1756 - 28.12.1759Captain ADM 6/18/324BWAS-171428.12.1759 - 23.8.1765Captain ADM 6/19/120BWAS-17144.6.1774 - 5.6.1780Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/33BWAS-17145.6.1780 - 11.1.1782Captain ADM 6/22/189
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 30.10.1780ADM 6/2211.1.1782 - 21.4.1783Captain ADM 6/22/397BWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
c.4.6.1774 - c.16.9.1777Rear-Admiral of the Red ADM 107/1/266BWAS-1714

7 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
11.2.1755 - 19.1.1758First Lieutenant ADM 6/18/135ADM 6/189.11.1756 - 19.1.1758Third Lieutenant ADM 6/18/321ADM 6/1819.1.1758 - 11.1.1760Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/474ADM 6/1811.1.1760 - 23.8.1765Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/127ref:84910.4.1778 - 19.11.1778Second Lieutenant ADM 6/21/388ADM 6/2119.11.1778 - 23.3.1780First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/21/476ADM 6/217.1.1783 - 21.4.1783Third Lieutenant ADM 6/23/4ADM 6/23

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.2.1756 - 16.9.1757Master ADM 107/5/136ADM 107/515.9.1758 - 18.12.1758Acting GunnerIPC31.5.1778 - 5.6.1780Acting MasterADM 29-1

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
3.5.1757 - 30.1.1758Midshipman ADM 107/5/30ADM 107/56.7.1757 - 26.1.1758Midshipman ADM 107/5/28ADM 107/520.7.1757 - 3.1.1759Midshipman ADM 107/5/80ADM 107/511.6.1758 - 14.9.1758Gunner's MateIPC6.1774 - 1777Midshipmanref:616

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
18.1.1757 - 5.7.1757Able Seaman ADM 107/5/28ADM 107/524.5.1757 - 19.7.1757Able Seaman ADM 107/5/80ADM 107/53.4.1758 - 10.6.1758Able SeamanIPC

Service History

DateEventSource
26.3.1755Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £26468.8.4dBWAS-1714
7.1756Sailed to meet East India shipsBWAS-1714
29.10.1756Took the Privateer
30.5.1757Action of 30 May 1757
30.5.1757Took the East Indiaman B103
5.7.1757Took the Privateer
24.7.1757Took the Privateer
5.9.1757Raid on Rochefort
16.2.1759Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
6.1759Seige of Quebec
1760coppering at UnknownBWAS-1714
6.3.1760Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
2.1765Sailed for homeBWAS-1714
23.8.1765

Paid off

BWAS-1714
15.10.1765SurveyedBWAS-1714
27.2.1770SurveyedBWAS-1714
3.1770Began great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1772Completed great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £22565.8.5dBWAS-1714
21.7.1774Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
26.12.1778Sailed as reinforcement for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
6.7.1779Battle of Grenada
17.4.1780Battle of Martinique
9.1780Began coppering and fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
1.1781Completed coppering and fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9165.10.1dBWAS-1714
13.3.1781Sailed to the relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
12.4.1781Arrived at GibraltarBWAS-1714
12.12.1781Action of 1781-12-12
12.12.17812nd Battle of Ushant
13.12.1781Took the Privateer
7.5.1782Sailed with convoyBWAS-1714
21.4.1783

Paid off

ADM 33
6.1783Began fitting for ordinary at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
8.1783Completed fitting for ordinary at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
5.1787Began fitting as a Receiving Ship at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
6.1787Completed fitting as a Receiving Ship at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
1802Renamed ArundelBWAS-1714
3.1811Broken up at PlymouthBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 107/5 Archive

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 6/21 Archive

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

B103Joseph Allen, Digital Book

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

IPC Document

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

ref:849Samantha Cavell, Thesis

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Friday 26th of June 2026 14:56

London, 15 June 1765: This morning the Purser of the Devonshire, Captain Quick, from Bengal, arrived at the India-House, with the agreeable news of the safe arrival of the of the said ship in the Downs, after a passage of 4 months. From her we have confirmation that...Mr Vansittart had left Bengal with Mr Hastings, who were returning home in the Medway man of war...[Exeter Mercury, 21 June 1765]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 22nd of June 2026 14:52

Chatham, 28 February 1772: Wednesday last his Majesty’s ship Liverpool, of 32 guns, Capt Braithwait, arrived here from the Streights in order to be paid off.
Orders have been received here from the Lords of the Admiralty for his Majesty’s ship Ramilies, of 74 guns, and Augusta, of 64 guns, to be taken immediately into dock, in order to undergo a thorough repair. His Majesty’s ship Medway, of 60 guns, which has been under a thorough repair, will be ready to go our of dock, some time in next moth. [Kentish Gazette, 29 February 1772]

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

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
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop

GDPR Statement