HMS Essex (1679)

Battle of Quiberon Bay: the Day After (Richard Wright, 1760) Essex is the more distant ship on its side, to the left of HMS Resolution
History
England
Name	HMS Essex
Ordered	20 February 1678
Builder	Sir Henry Johnson, Blackwall
Launched	1679
Commissioned	14 August 1679
Honours and awards	Barfleur 1692 Vigo 1702 Gibraltar 1704 Velez-Malaga 1704 Passero 1718 Quiberon Bay 1759
Fate	Wrecked in Quiberon Bay, 21 November 1759
General characteristics as built
Class and type	70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,03189⁄94 tons (bm)
Length	150 ft 2 in (45.77 m) gundeck 120 ft 9 in (36.80 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	40 ft (12.19 m)
Draught	18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
Depth of hold	16 ft 9.5 in (5.12 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	1677 Establishment 72/60 guns 26 × demi-cannons 54 cwt – 9.5 ft (LD) 26 × 12-pdr guns 32 cwt – 9 ft (UD) 10 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (QD) 4 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (Fc) 5 × 5 3-pdr guns 5 cwt – 5 ft (RH)
General characteristics 1700 rebuild
Class and type	70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,08852⁄94 tons (bm)
Length	150 ft 4 in (45.82 m) gundeck 124 ft 0 in (37.80 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	40 ft 7.5 in (12.38 m)
Depth of hold	16 ft 6 in (5.03 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	1685 Establishment 70/62 guns 26 × demi-cannons 54 cwt – 9.5 ft (LD) 26 × demi-culverins (UD) 10 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (QD) 4 × sakers 16 cwt – 7 ft (Fc) 5 × 5 3-pdr guns 5 cwt – 5 ft (RH)
General characteristics 1740 rebuild
Class and type	1733 proposals 70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1225
Length	151 ft (46.02 m) gundeck 121 ft 10 in (37.13 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	43 ft 5 in (13.23 m)
Depth of hold	17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	70 guns 1719 Establishment 24 × 24-pdr guns (LD) 26 × 12-pdr guns (UD) 14 × 6-pdr guns (QD) 4 × 6-pdr guns (Fc)
Notes	By 1746 guns reduced to 64 by removing six 6-pounder guns

HMS Essex was a 70-gun third rate built by Sir Henry Johnson of Blackwall in 1678/79. During the War of the English Succession she fought in the last major action. She was rebuilt in 1699/1700. During the War of Spanish Succession she fought at Vigo Bay, the Capture of Gibraltar and Velez Malaga. She also fought at the Battle off Passero in 1718. She was rebuilt again in 1736-40. She was in action off Toulon in 1744. She was active in the Channel and against French ports during the Seven Years War. She fought at Quiberon Bay in 1759. She was wrecked in Quiberon Bay in November 1759.

She was the second vessel to bear the name Essex since it was used for a 60-gun ship built at Deptford in 1653 and captured by the Dutch at the Battle of the Galloper Sand (the Four Days’ Battle) in June 1666.^[1]

HMS Essex was awarded the Battle Honours Barfleur 1692,^[2] Vigo 1702,^[3] Gibraltar 1704,^[4] and Velez-Malaga 1704,^[5] Passero 1718,^[6] and Quiberon Bay 1759.^[7]