Exeter-class ship of the line

Class overview
Name	Exeter
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	St Albans class
Succeeded by	Ardent class
In service	26 July 1763 – 1816
Completed	4
Lost	1
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Length	158 ft 9 in (48.39 m) (gundeck) 129 ft 9 in (39.55 m) (keel)
Beam	44 ft (13 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Armament	64 guns: Gundeck: 26 × 24-pounders Upper gundeck: 26 × 18-pounders Quarterdeck: 10 × 4-pounders Forecastle: 2 × 9-pounders
Notes	Ships in class include: Exeter, Europa, Trident, Prudent

The Exeter-class ships of the line were a class of four 64-gun third rates, designed for the Royal Navy by William Bateley.

Design

The draught for Exeter was based upon the Richmond-class frigates of 1756.

Ships

• HMS Exeter

Builder: Henniker, Chatham

Ordered: 13 January 1760

Launched: 26 July 1764

Fate: Burned, 1785

• HMS Europa

Builder: Adams, Lepe, Hampshire

Ordered: 16 December 1761

Launched: 21 April 1765

Fate: Broken up, 1814

• HMS Trident

Builder: Plymouth Dockyard

Ordered: 4 December 1762

Launched: 20 April 1768

Fate: Sold out of the service, 1816

• HMS Prudent

Builder: Woolwich Dockyard

Ordered: 7 January 1762

Launched: 28 September 1768

Fate: Sold out of the service, 1814

References

• Lavery, Brian (1984). The Ship of the Line. Vol. 1: The Development of the Battlefleet 1650-1850. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
• Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.