English ship Constant Reformation (1619)

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English ship Constant Reformation (1619)
History
Royal Navy EnsignEngland
NameConstant Reformation
BuilderBurrel, Deptford
Launched1619
FateRan aground and wrecked in 1651, near Terceira Island in the Azores
General characteristics [1]
Class and type42-gun Great ship
Tons burthen750
Length106 ft (32 m) (keel)
Beam35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Depth of hold15 ft (4.6 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament42 guns of various weights of shot

Constant Reformation[Note 1] was a 42-gun great ship of the English navy, built by William Burrell at Deptford and launched in 1619.[1] It first saw action in the English expedition to Algiers (1620–1621), then in the unsuccessful Cádiz expedition (1625), part of the Anglo-Spanish War (1625–1630).[2]

In the First English Civil War from 1642 to 1646, Constant Reformation was the flagship of the Parliamentarian deputy commander, Vice-Admiral William Batten, before being taken over by Thomas Rainsborough when he was appointed commander in January 1648. His crew mutinied in May 1648 and with Batten acting as captain, the Constant Reformation was one of the ships that defected to the Royalists during the Second English Civil War in August 1648.[1] While acting as a Royalist privateer, it ran aground near Terceira Island in the Azores and was lost in 1651.[3]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The 'HMS' prefix was not used until the middle of the 18th century, but is sometimes applied retrospectively

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line vol. 1, p. 158.
  2. ^ Harrison, Cy. "British Second Rate great ship 'Constant Reformation' (1619)". Three Decks. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Constant Reformation 1651". Wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 28 September 2022.

Sources[edit]

  • 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.