HMS Kent (1679)

Battle between the Spanish 70-gun Princesa (right foreground), and HMS Lenox, Orford and Kent, 8 April 1740
History
Kingdom of England
Name	HMS Kent
Ordered	20 February 1678
Builder	Sir Henry Johnson of Blackwall
Launched	1679
Commissioned	25 September 1679
Honours and awards	Barfleur 1692 Vigo 1704 Velez-Malaga 1704 Passero 1718
Fate	Breaking completed at Chatham December 1744
General characteristics as built
Class and type	70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,03975⁄94 tons (bm)
Length	151 ft 0 in (46.02 m) gundeck 121 ft 5 in (37.01 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	40 ft 1.5 in (12.23 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 after 1699 rebuild
Class and type	70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,06530⁄94 tons (bm)
Length	151 ft 6 in (46.18 m) gundeck 123 ft 7.5 in (37.68 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	40 ft 3 in (12.27 m)
Depth of hold	16 ft 7 in (5.05 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	1685 Establishment 72/60 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 after 1724 rebuild
Class and type	70-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,06574⁄94 tons (bm)
Length	151 ft (46.02 m) (gundeck) 122 ft 10 in (37.44 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	41 ft 6 in (12.6 m)
Depth of hold	17 ft 4 in (5.3 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	440 personnel
Armament	1719 Establishment 70 guns 26 × 24-pdr guns (LD) 26 × 12-pdr guns (UD) 14 × 6-pdr guns (QD) 4 × 6-pdr guns (Fc)

HMS Kent was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line built by Sir Henry Johnson of Blackwall in 1677/79. She served during the War of English Succession 1699 to 1697, participating in the Battle of Barfleur. She was rebuilt in 1697/99. She served during the War of Spanish Succession 1702 to 1712 and partook in the Battles of Vigo and Velez-Malaga. She partook in the Battle of Passaro then served during the short war with Spain, December 1718 to February 1720. She was rebuilt in 1722/26. She spent the next thirteen years as a guard ship at Portsmouth. In the 1740s, she was off Cape Finisterre then in the West Indies. She returned home and was finally broken in 1744.

She was the second vessel to bear the name Kent since it was used for a 46-gun ship built at Deptford in 1652 with the name Kentish. The ship was renamed Kent in May 1660 and wrecked near Cromer in October 1672.^[1]

HMS Kent was awarded the Battle Honours "Barfleur 1692",^[2] "Vigo 1702",^[3] "Velez-Malaga 1704",^[4] and "Passero 1718".^[5]