HMS Newcastle (1653)

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

History
England
Name	Newcastle
Ordered	17 February 1652
Builder	Phineas Pett II, Ratcliffe
Launched	May 1653
Fate	Wrecked, 1703
General characteristics
Class and type	Fourth-rate frigate
Tons burthen	631
Length	108 ft (32.9 m) (keel)
Beam	33 ft 1 in (10.1 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 2 in (4.0 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	44 guns (1660); 54 guns (1677)

Newcastle was a 44-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Phineas Pett II at Ratcliffe, and launched in May 1653. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 54 guns.

Her first action came in 1655 when, along with fourteen other warships, she sailed into Porto Farina in Algiers to engage Barbary Pirates. This action resulted in the destruction of the entire pirate fleet, which won the Newcastle lineage its first battle honour. In 1657 she took part in Admiral Blake's daring attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and in 1665, she fought at the Battle of Lowestoft. During the Revolution of 1688 Newcastle, commanded by George Churchill, defected to William of Orange (later King William III) along with most of the English navy.

Newcastle was wrecked at Spithead in the Great Storm of 1703

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 (2009) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.