British Fifth Rate frigate 'Winchelsea' (1764)

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Winchelsea	6886
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	11.8.1761	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	29.3.1762	BWAS-1714
Named	5.11.1761	BWAS-1714
Launched	31.5.1764	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	23.2.1769	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Niger Class (1757)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	3.11.1814	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck125' 0"Imperial Feet38.1
Length of Keel103' 4"Imperial Feet31.4283
Breadth35' 2"Imperial Feet10.6782
Depth in Hold12' 0"Imperial Feet3.6576
Draught Forward8' 5"Imperial Feet2.5654
Draught Aft14' 0"Imperial Feet4.2672
Burthen679 ⁶⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

31.5.1764Broadside Weight = 177 Imperial Pound ( 80.2698 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1757220Design Complement

21 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.2.1769 - 17.4.1772Captain ADM 6/20/229BWAS-171417.4.1772 - 21.6.1775Captain ADM 6/20/439BWAS-171420.2.1776 - 22.7.1778Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/160BWAS-171422.7.1778 - 10.11.1779Captain ADM 6/21/436BWAS-17146.3.1782 - 18.3.1783Captain ADM 6/22/420BWAS-171418.3.1783 - 26.3.1783Captain ADM 6/23/37ADM 6/2326.3.1783 - 14.12.1785Captain ADM 6/23/40BWAS-171416.3.1786 - 20.4.1786Captain ADM 6/23/320ADM 6/2320.4.1786 - 26.8.1789Captain ADM 6/23/329BWAS-171426.8.1789 - 21.12.1789Captain Transfered ADM 6/23/541ADM 6/2310.5.1790 - 19.11.1790Commander ADM 6/24/26BWAS-171419.11.1790 - 18.9.1791Captain ADM 6/24/87BWAS-171418.9.1791 - 8.10.1793Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/315ADM 6/248.10.1793 - 11.1794Captain ADM 6/24/272BWAS-17143.1800 - 1801CommanderBWAS-17141803 - 1805Lieutenant†BWAS-17143.1805Lieutenant†BWAS-17141807LieutenantBWAS-17141808 - 1810LieutenantBWAS-17141810 - 1811LieutenantBWAS-17141.3.1811 - 1812CaptainBWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
3.1783 - 12.1785Vice-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-1714

14 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.2.1776 - 18.5.1776First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/21/160ADM 6/2120.3.1777 - 22.7.1778Second Lieutenant ADM 6/21/387
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 4.7.1778ADM 6/2122.7.1778 - 25.12.1779First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/21/436
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles ADM 6/2115.5.1790 - 23.6.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/30ADM 6/2424.1.1791 - 17.9.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/104ADM 6/2424.6.1791 - 18.9.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/124ADM 6/2418.9.1791 - 22.10.1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/135ADM 6/2418.9.1791 - 23.12.1792Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/135ADM 6/2421.9.1791 - 9.8.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/137ADM 6/247.2.1792 - 19.3.1793Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/154ADM 6/2410.8.1793 - 22.10.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/262ADM 6/2410.8.1793 - 1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/262ADM 6/2423.10.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/277ADM 6/2423.10.1793 - 1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/277ADM 6/24

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.7.1790 - 24.6.1791MasterADM 29-11793 - bef.17.9.1793Surgeonref:1981

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
8.11.1770 - 15.2.1772Midshipman Transferedref:13596.1786 - 1.1789Midshipmanref:61610.1791 - 2.1792Midshipmanref:616

Service History

DateEventSource
31.5.1764building at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £11515.18.0dBWAS-1714
14.5.1769Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
8.8.1772Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
21.6.1775

Paid off

BWAS-1714
7.1775fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £114.9.11dBWAS-1714
1.1776Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
2.1776RecommissionedBWAS-1714
5.1776Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £4418.1.1dBWAS-1714
28.5.1776Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
24.9.1778Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
1779Service in the Channel then paid offBWAS-1714
3.1780Began large repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
4.1782Completed large repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £15041.1.6dBWAS-1714
30.6.1782Took the Privateer
20.7.1782Took the Brig
22.7.1782Took the Ship
13.5.1783Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
15.5.1784Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
22.4.1785Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
14.12.1785

Paid off

BWAS-1714
3.1786RecommissionedBWAS-1714
13.6.1787Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
2.5.1788Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
2.1789Paid offBWAS-1714
2.1789Began small repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
5.1790RecommissionedBWAS-1714
8.1790Completed small repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £6831.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1790RecommissionedBWAS-1714
9.1791Paid offBWAS-1714
7.3.1792Sailed for Nova ScotiaBWAS-1714
24.11.1793Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
11.1794Paid offBWAS-1714
12.1799Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
3.1800Refitted as a Unrated Troop Ship
3.1800Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £9866.0.0dBWAS-1714
7.1802Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
1803Convalescent ship at SheernessBWAS-1714
11.1803Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
1807In the BalticBWAS-1714
1807Refitted as a Unrated Hospital Ship
1808Convalescent ship at SheernessBWAS-1714
1812In ordinary at ChathamBWAS-1714
3.11.1814Sold at Sheerness for £1,760BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 6/21 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ref:1359Anthony Sullivan, Book

ref:1981 Document

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 2nd of June 2026 01:45

Portsmouth, 10 January 1802: The Druid and Winchelsea are ordered to be fitted to take troops on board for the West Indies. The second battalion of the 85th regiment will embark for Jamaica. [Kentish Post, 15 January 1802]

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