English ship Dover (1654)

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

The Dover was a 40-gun fourth-rate English frigate, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Shoreham by William Castle, and launched in January 1654. In 1660 at the Restoration she was taken into the Royal Navy, becoming HMS Dover.

Dover, 48-gun fourth-rate, built 1654, rebuilt 1695 (Willem van de Velde, 1675)
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Dover
Namesake	Battle of Dover (1652)
Ordered	27 December 1652
Builder	William Castle, Shoreham-on-Sea
Launched	January 1654
General characteristics as built[1][2]
Class & type	Fourth-rate frigate
Tons burthen	55468⁄94 bm
Length	118 ft 6 in (36.1 m) (on gundeck), 104 ft (31.7 m) (keel)
Beam	31 ft 8 in (9.7 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 8 in (3.9 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	40 guns (1660); 48 guns (1677)
General characteristics after 1695 rebuild[3][4]
Class & type	50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	60417⁄94 bm
Length	118 ft 0 in (36.0 m) (on the gundeck), 98 ft 6 in (30.0 m) (keel)
Beam	33 ft 11.5 in (10.4 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 7 in (3.8 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot

By 1665, her armament had been increased to 46 guns, comprising 22 culverins, 20 demi-culverins and 4 sakers, but in 1666 she received an additional 6 demi-culverins to give her a total of 52 guns.^[1] She took part in the Battle of Lowestoft on 3 June 1665, in the Four Days' Battle on 1–4 June 1666, and in the St James' Day Fight on 25 July 1666.^[1] At the Battle of Solebay on 28 May 1672, the Dover, commanded by John Ernle, saved Sir John Harman and the Charles from a fire ship.^[5]

The Dover was rebuilt in 1694–95 at Portsmouth Dockyard, from where she relaunched as a 48-gun fourth-rate ship of the line on 21 December 1695. She was reduced to a Fifth rate of 40 guns (by Admiralty Order of 24 May 1716) and underwent a Great Repair (but not a second rebuilding!) at Deptford Dockyard between December 1716 and July 1718. She was finally paid off at Deptford in July 1730, and taken to pieces in December.^[3]