HMS Lenox (1678)

[modernknight1]

I resurrect yet another topic from PA! that they deleted.

HMS Lenox was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard on 18 April 1678.

For the first part of her life things were exciting – she fought in numerous battles and campaigns throughout the Third Anglo-Dutch War (including the Battle of Solebay 1672), and the Anglo-French war (Nine Years War/War of the Grand Alliance). She fought at the Battles of Barlfeur, and Beachy Head. She was one of the seventeen ships that attacked and destroyed the famous French flagship Soleil Royale in the Action at La Hogue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_at_La_Hogue_(1692)

After this she performed convoy duty in the Mediterranean defending the Levant convoys against Turks and Barbary corsairs.

She was so completely worn out and rotten after 23 years of service, that she returned to Deptford where she was originally built and had to be completely overhauled in 1701.

She was rebuilt at Deptford in 1701, remaining a 70-gun third rate.

In 1702 William Jumper took command of this ship and it was the most notable command of his career. Jumper was part of Sir George Rooke’s command as he failed to attack Cadiz. Jumper was renowned as one of the first captains to set foot on land during the successful capture of Gibraltar in 1704. He and Captain Wilkes led troops whilst Edward Whitaker tried to obtain permission for a landing. Jumper was mentioned particularly by Whitaker. Lenox’s captain was honoured by having Jumper’s Bastion in Gibraltar named after him.

She was the only ship that survived the gale that took down Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell’s sqaudron off the Scilly Isles in 1707. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudesley_Shovell One of the worst naval disasters in British History. This disaster was the catalyst that caused the Crown and Navy Board to issue the unheard of reward of 20,000 pounds – for the accurate solution to the longitude problem. This set off a long standing race among scientists and inventors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_prize Highly recommend you read Davia Sobel’s book “Longitude” or buy the movie/mini series of the same name featuring Jeremy Irons.

Jumper was very lucky to have avoided the fate of Sir Cloudesley and arrived in Falmouth on 22 October 1707 not realising that Sir Cloudesley and the rest of the Squadron was shipwrecked on the Scilly Isles – (Association, Firebrand, Romney and Eagle) were all lost, claiming the lives of 2,000 sailors. Lenox suffered little to no damage and finally managed to reach Portsmouth. On 2 May 1721 Lenox was ordered to be taken to pieces and rebuilt at Chatham as a 70-gun third rate of the 1719 Establishment. She was relaunched on 19 September 1723.

For the majority of HMS Lenox’ career she was an escort serving to protect convoys from pirates on the long convoys to the Mediterranean and Levant. Probably her most distinguished action in her later life (after she was rebuilt) was against the Spanish 70gun Princess.

Lenox served until 1756, when she was sunk as a breakwater.

Lenox is famous these days for being one of the few English ships well documented in paintings and drawings by the great marine artist William Van de Velde the Younger. We also have excellent surviving plans of her and she is the archetypal 3rd rate of the Restoration Era English navy. She serves as an excellent example in depicting how these ships appeared when there were dozens of them roaming the world’s seaways in the 17th century.

I offered a thousand dollars to any 3D modeler that would build her for me over on PA! That offer still stands and I will share her with everyone!

Here is my Flickr set on HMS Lenox: HMS Lenox

And here is the best I’ve been able to do in depicting the archetypal English Restoration 3rd Rater in GOF ERAs mod2:

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