| Summary : 1667 wreck of English Fourth Rate ship of the line, scuttled to act as a blockship near Rochester Bridge during the Raid on the Medway (1584349) towards the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. She was dispersed by explosives in 1669. Constructed of wood as a galleon in 1586, she had been present at the Armada in 1588 (1583091). Rebuilt in 1615, and again in 1631, her battle honours also included the Battles of Plymouth, 1652 (1573415), Kentish Knock, 1652 (1573472), and Dungeness, 1652 (1575143), Portland, 1653 (1572919) and the Gabbard, 1653 (1582162), all during the First Anglo-Dutch War. Further battle honours included the Battle of Lowestoft, 1665 (1584087), Four Days' Battle, 1666 (1583919) and St. James's Day Fight, 1666 (1584743), all in the Second Anglo-Dutch War. |
More information : Primary Sources:
June 29. Chatham. [John Conny] to Williamson . . . All their ships are now afloat, except the VANGUARD. (8)
June 30. 7pm. Chatham. John Conny to Williamson . . . The VANGUARD still continues sunk, but is not given up for lost. (9)
Sunday, 30 June, 1667.
'Our great ships that were run aground and sunk are all well raised but the “VANGUARD,†which they go about to raise to-morrow.' (10)
July 17. Sir Wm. Coventry to the Navy Com[missione]rs.
Asks them to provide Prince Rupert with a ship at Sheerness. Lord Brouncker proposes, instead of the DE RUYTER, which is employed to get up the VANGUARD, the HILVERSOME, which is of a good size. Should be sorry an accident should befall her if the enemy come. [Adm. Paper.] (11)
Sept. 10. Chatham Dock.John Brooke and Wm. Rand to the Navy Com[missione]rs.
Particulars of operations on the VANGUARD and other sunk ships in the river, and clearing away the moorings of the chain. The captain of the SUCCESS can spare 40 and the SIGNET 20 men. Must put some ropemakers on the JAMES and LONDON, to help them about. [Adm. Paper.] (12)
Sept. 23. Chatham. Ja. Norman, clerk of the survey, to Sir Wm. Batten.
That harbour has always been miserably infested with thieves and pilfering rogues, and their trade has grown to that perfection that they know how to have returns for the most inconsiderable things they steal. Cannot find any great losses at once, yet the frequent pilfering of petty things arises to something in a year, and a rope cannot lie in the river but it is either shortened or taken away. Has taken some of these fellows, whose punishment may deter others. A new cable belonging to the Dolphin fire-ship was part cut off, and sold by her own men who ran away; found it with some old cordage aboard Anthony Downing's smack, the Chatham; he said his boy bought it and gave it to his shipmaster, Thos. Howell; took it and also took his foresail, so as to know where to find his vessel. Secured another fellow aboard, and found a good quantity of twice-laid ropes, &c., taken out of the VANGUARD, and stolen by two Lambeth men that lay bobbing for eels, and put aboard the hoy to be carried to London; took all ashore, and the man is coming to London to petition the Board about it. [Adm. Paper.] (13)
Sept. 24. Chatham. Ja. Norman to Sir Wm. Batten.
Every day brings fresh complaints. One of the VANGUARD's furnaces is stolen, and all the lead and cocks. Desires that her officers may be sent for to the Navy Office, to know whether the King should allow them wages and victuals for doing no duty, and whether all losses ought not to be made good out of their wages. Asks that orders may be sent to the mayor and justices of peace of Rochester, to search all the houses in Rochester, Chatham, and Gillingham. Though they find not the furnace, is sure they will not lose their labour, for a great quantity of iron work and other materials have been embezzled out of the wrecks in the river, and secured in private houses. Sends a master for a hawser, lent out of the UNICORN by Capt. Green, to the master of a dogger. [Adm. Paper.] (14)
April 5. Chatham. Commissioner Thos. Middleton to Sam. Pepys.
As to Major Nicholl’s charge for raising the wrecks in the river, it is a thing that should be done upon almost any terms, because the longer they remain the greater is the damage to the river; but the charge should be fixed. He says they will not be worth above 300l. when raised; I will undertake to give him 500l. for them, believing they will be worth 1,000l.; all anchors and cables and guns found in them should be delivered to his Majesty. I think Gould the fittest man, and have spoken to him, offering him 4 ships fitted with all materials, but he to provide any further supplies needed. He asks 10 or 12 men at the King’s charge for each ship. I think this would be better than for the King’s stores to be liable to be robbed at the fancy of another. I promised him the bottoms of the wrecks that lay dry at low water. The work must be done, or farewell in a short time to the Medway.
For the VANGUARD’s bowsprit Gould demanded 60l.; I offered him 30l., which it is worth, and presume he will let you have it if you pay ready money.
Secondary Sources:
Date of loss expressed as 12-JUN-1667.
A galleon, originally of 31 guns, rebuilt at Chatham in 1615 as 650 tons BM, 40 guns; rebuilt at Woolwich in 1631 as 731 tons BM, 56 guns, sunk as a blockship at Rochester to bar the upper Medway to the Dutch. (3)(4) The wreck was broken up where she lay, the remains being destroyed by gunpowder charges in 1669. (2)(3)
Source (2) gives the date of loss of the vessel as 13-JUN-1667.
Source (2) gives the tonnage of the vessel as 751 tons, (3) and (4) as 731; tonnage given by two different contemporary calculations as 563 and 751 tons. (5)(6) Length and breadth given in sources (5) and (6) as 112 feet x 36 feet 4 inches.
Wrecked and sold 1667. (5)
Description of where the ship lay in the scheme of the defences at the Medway:
John Evelyn made a sketch of the ships scuttled in the river which he sent to Pepys, 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".
Most of the ships scuttled above Upnor on Wednesday 12 June were recovered and re-entered service, with the exception of the VANGUARD.
James Norman, Clerk of the Survey at Chatham, assessed the financial impact of the damage and potential cost of repairs in a letter sent to Pepys on 17 August 1667. He estimated that the cost of repairing the VANGUARD would amount to £400.
The remaining wrecks which were not sold at auction in late 1669 'were finally destroyed by firing explosive charges in them during the last three months of 1669'. (7)
Built as VANGUARD, 1586, a 'great ship' and present at the Armada and the attack on Cadiz Harbour. Broken up for rebuilding 1615. (16) Rebuilt by Phineas Pett at Chatham 1615 and present at the attack on Algiers 1621. (17) Taken into the French Navy on loan 1625-6. (18) Present during the First Anglo-Dutch War at the Battles of Plymouth, Kentish Knock, and Dungeness, all 1652, and Portland, Gabbard, and Scheveningen, all 1653; thereafter present earlier in the Second Anglo-Dutch War at Lowestoft (1665), the Four Days' Battle and the St. James's Day Fight (1666). Wreck sold 7 February 1668. (19)
Built: 1586 (1)(3)(4)(16); 1631 (2)
Builder: Matthew Baker (16)
Where Built: Woolwich (1)(2)(3)(4)
Rebuilt 1615: (1)(3)(4)(17)
Builder 1615: Phineas Pett (17)
Where Rebuilt 1615: Chatham (1)(3)(4)(17);
Rebuilt 1631: (1)(3)(4)(5)
Where Rebuilt 1631: Woolwich (1)(3)(4)(5)(19)
Builder 1631: John Bright (19)
Armament: 24 x 32pdr; 14 x 18pdr; 16 x 9pdr; 2 x 6pdr (1)(3)(4); 60 guns (2); 40 to 60 guns (5)(6)
Owner: Royal Navy (all sources)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |