HMS Weymouth (1693)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Weymouth.

HMS Weymouth was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Portsmouth Dockyard on 8 August 1693. She was one of two 50-gun ships ordered on 15 August 1690 to be built by Master Shipwright William Stigant at Portsmouth Dockyard (the other was the Norwich). However, unlike the Norwich (which was completed within a year of being ordered), the Weymouth was delayed until 1693 and - instead of the 123 ft length originally specified - was lengthened to 132 ft 4 in, thus becoming the prototype for the 1693 batch ordered with a design extended to some 130 ft.

Etching taken from A voyage (in 1721) to Guinea, Brasil, and the West-Indies; in His Majesty's Ships, the Swallow and Weymouth by John Atkins (naval surgeon) pub. 1735
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Weymouth
Ordered	15 August 1690
Builder	William Stigant, Portsmouth Dockyard
Launched	8 August 1693
Fate	Broken up, 1732-33
General characteristics as built
Class and type	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	672 79/94 bm
Length	132 ft 4 in (40.3 m) (gundeck) 107 ft 10 in (32.9 m) (keel)
Beam	34 ft 3 in (10.4 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 10 in (4.2 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1719 rebuild
Class and type	1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	714 91/94 bm
Length	130 ft (39.6 m) (on gundeck) 107 ft 8 in (32.8 m) (keel)
Beam	35 ft 4 in (10.8 m)
Depth of hold	14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns: Gundeck: 22 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 22 × 9 pdrs Quarterdeck: 4 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

Following continuous service throughout the War of the Spanish Succession, the Weymouth was refitted at Plymouth between June 1713 and June 1714 at a cost of £2,572-11-5d. She was docked at Woolwich Dockyard on 13 June 1717 to be rebuilt by Master Shipwright John Hayward according to the 1706 Establishment, relaunching on 26 February 1719, and completed on 10 March 1719. The Weymouth continued to serve until paid off in 1728. On 21 November 1732 she was docked at Plymouth to be broken up (which was completed by 6 January 1733).

References

• Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
• Winfield, Rif (1997), The 50-Gun Ship: A Complete History. Chatham Publishing (1st edition); Mercury Books (2nd edition 2005). ISBN 1-845600-09-6.
• Winfield, Rif (2009), British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603–1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.