HMS Nonsuch (1696)

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

History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Nonsuch
Ordered	25 September 1595
Builder	Robert & John Castle, Deptford
Launched	20 August 1696
Fate	Broken up, 1745
General characteristics as built
Class and type	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	676 77⁄94 bm
Length	130 ft 5 in (39.8 m) (gundeck) 109 ft (33.2 m) (keel)
Beam	34 ft 2 in (10.4 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 9 in (4.2 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1716-1717 rebuild
Class and type	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	687 12⁄94 bm
Length	131 ft 2 in (40.0 m) (gundeck) 107 ft 9 in (32.8 m) (keel)
Beam	34 ft 7.5 in (10.6 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 7 in (4.1 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot

HMS Nonsuch was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, one of four ordered in September 1694 (Blackwall and Guernsey on 12 September and Nonsuch and Warwick on 25 September) to be built by commercial contracts; eight further ships of this type were ordered on 24 December (six to be built by contract and two in Royal Dockyards). The Nonsuch was built by Robert and John Castle at their Deptford shipyard and launched on 20 August 1696.

On 22 June 1715 she was ordered to undergo a major Repair (in effect, a rebuilding) which was undertaken by Master Shipwright John Naish at Portsmouth Dockyard. Work commenced in August 1716 and the ship was re-launched on 29 April 1717. She was not recommissioned until May 1722 after being sheathed for a voyage to the Guinea coast of Africa, for which she sailed in January 1723 under the command of Captain Lord Archibald Hamilton. From there she proceeded to the West Indies, returning to Portsmouth to pay off in July 1724.

The Nonsuch was converted into a hulk in 1740 (with a new ship to be built in her stead), and she continued to serve in this capacity until 1745, when she was broken up.

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 (1997), The 50-Gun Ship: A Complete History. Chatham Publishing (1st edition); Mercury Books (2nd edition 2005). ISBN 1-845600-09-6.
• 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.
• 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.