The Royal Navy Research Archive General Message Board
For more discussion boards, grouped by topic, visit the new RN Research Archive forum - Click here
There were two - the first a 64 gun 3rd rate, built 1782, which was destroyed by fire in 1794.... the second was also a 3rd rate 64 gun ship. she was laid down as an East Indiaman named "Princess Royal" at Northfleet, but was taken over by the Navy in 1796 whilst still building, and she became the Ardent.
She measured 173.3ft x 43ft 1416 tons
armed 64 guns
Launched 9 April 1796 to join Admiral Duncans fleet in the North Sea; in the Nore mutiny in 1797; fought at the battle of Camperdown October 1797, losing 41 men killed in action; later, still as part of the North Sea fleet took part in the expedition to Copenhagen , taking part in the battle in April of that year; lost 30 killed; in 1803 after refit joined Pellew's squadron off the Spanish coast before returning the the North Sea in 1805. In 1807 to the South Atlantic for the River Plate expedition. Returned England 1808. Between 1808 - 09 used as a guardship at Leith; in the Baltic 1812.
In 1813 she was taken out of front line service and converted to a convict hulk, and taken across the Atlantic to Bermuda, where she served as a floating prison until broken up in 1824