Coventry-class frigate


The Coventry-class frigates were 28-gun sixth rate frigates of the Royal Navy, principally in service during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. They were designed in 1756 by Britain's Surveyor of the Navy, Sir Thomas Slade, and were largely modeled on, which was regarded as an exemplar among small frigates due to its speed and maneuverability. The 1750s were a period of considerable experimentation in ship design, and Slade authorized individual builders to make "such alterations withinboard as may be judged necessary" in final construction.
A total of twelve Coventry-class frigates were built in oak during the Seven Years' War. Eleven of these were ordered from private shipyards and built over the relatively short period of three years; the twelfth was completed following the close of the War in a royal dockyard after its original contractor became bankrupt.
The five vessels in the second batch were built fir hulls rather than oak. The use of fir instead of oak increased the speed of construction but reduced the frigate's durability over time. This batch also differed in external appearance to the oak-built frigates, as they had a square tuck stern. The third and fourth batches returned to oak frames.
More than a quarter-century after the design was produced, two further oak-built ships to this design were ordered to be built by contract in October 1782. One of these was cancelled a year later, when the builder became bankrupt.

Ships

Second batch

Admiralty's intention for the second batch was for a total of ten frigates, swiftly and cheaply built from fir rather than oak. The design for these vessels was modified to square the stern, increasing stability in rough seas and allowing a marginal improvement in storage capacity. Construction tenders were offered to private shipyards but the proposed prices exceeded Admiralty's budget. The batch was therefore reduced to just five ships, to be built using government labour at the Royal Dockyards. The use of fir significantly reduced construction time from the average nine months for the first batch of oak-hulled frigates to three and a half months for the fir-hulled ships. However the fir timbers were significantly less durable: the four vessels that served without being captured averaged only nine years at sea before being broken up or sold. All of the second batch of vessels were out of service before any of the first batch had been retired. Admiralty returned to using oak-built hulls for all subsequent ships in the Coventry-class.

ShipBuilderPrice and contract rateNaval fitoutLaid downLaunchedCommissionedOut of serviceFateRef.
Israel Pownoll, Woolwich Dockyard£6,314£2,879April 1757July 1757September 17571770Sold out of naval service
John Lock, Chatham Dockyard£11,313 including fitoutNot recordedMay 1757July 1757August 17571762Captured by French Navy
Adam Hayes, Deptford Dockyard£9,813 including fitoutNot recordedMay 1757August 1757October 17571765Broken up at Portsmouth Dockyard
Israel Pownoll, Woolwich Dockyard£6,929£2,866May 1757October 1757November 17571764Sold out of naval service
John Lock, Chatham Dockyard£11,228 including fitoutNot recordedMay 1757September 1757November 17571766Sold out of naval service

Third batch

9 oak-built ships
ShipBuilderPrice and contract rateNaval fitoutLaid downLaunchedCommissionedOut of serviceFateRef.
Thomas Staunton & Co, Rotherhithe£6,229 at £10.12s per ton£3,953June 1757January 1758January 17581778Captured by French Navy
Robert Inwood, Rotherhithe£6,156 at £10.10s per ton£4,049June 1757May 1758May 17581776Sold at Deptford Dockyard
Pleasant Fenn, Cowes Shipyard, East Cowes£5,276 at £9.0s per ton£4,227June 1757September 1758May 17581778Burned to prevent capture, Rhode Island
Moody Janvrin, Bursledon£5,276 at £10.0s per ton£4,275June 1757October 1758October 17571761Wrecked off Barbuda
Henry Adams, Buckler's Hard£5,423 at £9.5s per ton£4,906June 1757July 1758October 17581780Broken up, Deptford Dockyard

Final batch

2 oak-built ships, only 1 completed
  • Hind
  • * Ordered: 2 October 1782
  • * Built by: Sheerness Dockyard.
  • * Keel laid: February 1783
  • * Launched: 22 July 1785
  • * Completed: 24 November 1787 at Deptford Dockyard.
  • * Fate: Taken to pieces at Deptford Dockyard in July 1811.Laurel
  • * Ordered: 22 October 1782
  • * Built by: Philemon Jacobs, Sandgate.
  • * Cancelled: 7 October 1783.