| Summary : 1667 wreck of English fireship scuttled as a blockship on the Mussel Bank to impede Dutch progress during the Raid on the Medway (1584349) during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. She was one of the first group to be scuttled on 11 June 1667, along with the CONSTANT JOHN (1033757) and JOHN AND SARAH (1033759). Later that same day further blockships were sunk in the same location: the BARBADOS MERCHANT (1033756), DOLPHIN (1033758), GOOD FORTUNE (1033761), EDWARD AND EVE (1433208) and HIND (1433212). As the Dutch withdrew from the Medway, they set fire to the upper works of the blockships, which had proved ineffective. This wreck does not appear in the records as sold at auction in 1669; those which were not sold were destroyed by explosive charges in late 1669, thus it may be that this ship was among their number. Constructed of wood, the UNICORN was a sailing vessel. Her purchase in 1666 indicates that she was of mercantile origin. |
More information : Primary Sources:
'Whitehall, June 16. The Dutch Fleet having the tenth Instant in the evening made themselves masters of Sheerness, on the eleventh they advanced up the River of Medway, and though with much difficulty passed by several Vessels which had been sunk about Musselbank, which was the narrowest part of it, the better to put some stop to them in their passing; and with 22 sail came up towards the Chain . . . Part of the Enemies Fleet hath since this Action continued about Muscle-Bank, where on Friday were seen 24 sail, on Saturday only 14 . . . ' (4)
Secondary Sources:
In June 1667, during the Second Dutch War, the Dutch fleet under de Ruyter and de Witt(e) sailed into the rivers Thames and Medway to attack the English fleet laid up in their own harbours. On 10-JUN they attacked the fort at Sheerness, driving off the garrison and landing troops. They advanced up the Medway to the protective chain across the river at Upnor. The UNICORN was one of a number of fireships scuttled by the English in front of them in an attempt to block their passage. In the event, they caused the Dutch few problems and the upperworks were set on fire by them as they left. The remains were sold in OCT-1667. (1)
UNICORN, bought 1666, sunk to block the Medway 1667. Dimensions 64 feet long x 23 feet beam, 180 tons. (2)
UNICORN, sunk June 1667 at Chatham to block the entrance to the Dockyard. (3)
The CONSTANT JOHN, UNICORN, and JOHN AND SARAH, were the first ships sunk as blockships on the Mussel Bank on the morning of 11 June 1667. On the recommendation of Lord Brouncker and Peter Pett, they were followed by a second group, consisting of the BARBADOS MERCHANT, DOLPHIN, EDWARD AND EVE, HIND, and (GOOD) FORTUNE.
'This news, when it was brought back to Cornelis de Witt and van Ghent at Sheerness, did not deter them for one instant for resolving on an immediate attack on Chatham dockyard and the ships lying in the river near it. These were indeed a tempting prey, in a sketch made by John Evelyn on the hill above Gillingham, near the church, and which he sent to Pepys at the latter's request, [in which] the names and positions of the ships were recorded in detail. The sketch was entitled: A Scheme of the Posture of the Dutch Fleete and action at Sherenesse and Chatham 10th, 11th, and 12th of June 1667, taken upon the place by J.E. It showed the chain, with the UNITY moored on the Gillingham side, just below it and with the CHARLES V and MATTHIAS just above it. The MONMOUTH lay beyond them in Gillingham Reach, and then above her, stretching as far as Rochester Bridge, the ROYAL CHARLES, MARY [SANCTA MARIA], ROYAL OAK, LOYAL LONDON, ROYAL JAMES, CATHERINE, PRINCESS, OLD JAMES, GUIDEN RYTER [GELDERSE RUYTER] TRIUMPH, RAINBOW, UNICORN, HENRY, HELVERSON [HILVERSUM] and VANGUARD.'
The Dutch then burnt the upper works of the sunken vessels at the Mussel Bank as they withdrew. The DOLPHIN, CONSTANT JOHN, UNICORN, JOHN AND SARAH, and BARBADOS MERCHANT, were together valued at £4,100 in a survey of the financial loss represented by these ships, dated 17 August 1667, as probably 'utterly lost'.
The UNICORN does not appear in the lists of ships sold at auction on 22 September 1669 or valued in a letter to the Navy Board on 4 October 1669. Those wrecks which were not sold, were 'finally destroyed by firing explosive charges in them during the last three months of 1669.' (5)
Purchased: 1666 (1)(2)(3)
Armament: 6 guns (1)(2)(3)
Owner: Royal Navy (all sources)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |