HMS Montagu (1660)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Montague and HMS Lyme.

History
England
Name	Lyme
Namesake	Siege of Lyme Regis Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton
Builder	John Tippetts, Portsmouth
Launched	4 September 1654
Renamed	HMS Montagu, 1660
Fate	Broken up, 1749
General characteristics as built
Class and type	Speaker-class frigate
Tons burthen	76960⁄94 bm
Length	145 ft (44.2 m) (on the gundeck), 117 ft (35.7 m) (keel)
Beam	35 ft 2 in (10.7 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	52 guns (at launch); 62 guns (1677)
General characteristics after 1672-74 rebuild
Class and type	60-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	82911⁄94 bm
Length	145 ft 0 in (44.2 m) (on gundeck), 117 ft 0 in (35.7 m) (keel)
Beam	36 ft 6 in (11.1 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 0 in (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	355
Armament	62 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1698 rebuild
Class and type	60-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	90557⁄94 bm
Length	143 ft 10 in (43.8 m) (gundeck), 120 ft 0 in (36.6 m) (keel)
Beam	37 ft 8 in (11.5 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 4 in (4.7 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	60 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1714-16 rebuild
Class and type	1706 Establishment 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	9204⁄94 bm
Length	144 ft 3 in (44.0 m) (gundeck), 119 ft (36.3 m) (keel
Beam	38 ft (12 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 8 in (4.8 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	60 guns: Gundeck: 24 × 24 pdrs Upper gundeck: 26 × 9 pdrs Quarterdeck: 8 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

The Lyme was a 52-gun third rate Speaker-class frigate built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Master Shipwright John Tippetts at Portsmouth Dockyard, and launched on 4 September 1654.

After the Restoration in 1660 she was taken into the new Royal Navy and renamed HMS Montagu in honour of Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton, who died in 1644 after being imprisoned for supporting King Charles I. By 1665 she carried 58 guns, comprising 20 demi-cannon, 4 culverins and 32 demi-culverins, with 2 small falcons on the poop. She took part in the Battle of Lowestoft]] in 1665 and the St James's Day Fight in 1666. She was rebuilt and girdled (widened) by Master Shipwright Sir Phineas Pett at Chatham Dockyard in 1672-74 (an extra layer of timbers added to her sides) to improve her stability.

During the Nine Years' War against France, the Montagu took part in the Battle of Barfleur in May 1692. She underwent her second rebuild in 1698 by Master Shipwright Fisher Harding at Woolwich Dockyard, reduced to the Fourth rate as a 60-gun ship of the line. She participated in the Battle of Velez Malaga on 13 August 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Her third rebuild took place at Portsmouth Dockyard, where Master Shipwright Richard Stacey was ordered in July 1714 to rebuild her and from where she was relaunched on 26 July 1716 as a 60-gun fourth rate to the 1706 Establishment. She fought at the Battle of Cape Passaro on 11 August 1718. After a Great Repair at Portsmouth in 1739-40, she was recommissioned for the West Indies in 1740 and took part in the operations at Cartagena in 1741 and at Porto Bello in 1742.

The Montagu was ordered to be broken up by Admiralty Order of 3 January 1749, and this was completed at Portsmouth by 19 September 1749.

References

• Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
• Winfield, Rif (2009) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.
• Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.