English ship Lion (1557)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Lion.

English ship (Lion) c.1648, by Willem van de Velde the Elder
History
England
Name	Golden Lion
Launched	1557
Renamed	Lion
Fate	Sold, 1698
General characteristics as built
Propulsion	Sails
General characteristics after 1582 rebuild
Propulsion	Sails
General characteristics after 1609 rebuild[1]
Class and type	38-gun great ship
Tons burthen	650
Length	91 ft (28 m) (keel)
Beam	34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Depth of hold	16 ft (4.9 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	38 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1640 rebuild[2]
Tons burthen	626
Length	95 ft (29 m) (keel)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft (4.6 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
General characteristics after 1658 rebuild[3]
Class and type	48-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	717
Length	112 ft (34 m) (keel)
Beam	35 ft 4 in (10.77 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	48 guns of various weights of shot

Golden Lion (also sometimes Red Lion)[Note 1] was a ship of the English Tudor navy, launched in 1557. She was rebuilt for the first time in 1582.

By the time of her second rebuild, in 1609, she was known as Lion. She was rebuilt at Deptford as a Great ship of 38 guns.[1]

In 1613 The Lion was appointed to escort Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James VI and I, and Frederick V of the Palatinate sailing in The Prince Royal from Margate to Ostend.[4]

In 1640 she was rebuilt again, this time at Woolwich.[2] She was rebuilt for a final time at Chatham in 1658, as a 48-gun third rate ship of the line.[3] By 1677 Lion was mounting 60 guns.[3]

She was sold out of the navy in 1698.[3]

Notes

1. The 'HMS' prefix was not used until the middle of the Eighteenth Century, but is sometimes applied retrospectively

Citations

1. Lavery, Ships of the Line Vol. 1, p. 158.
2. Lavery, Ships of the Line Vol. 1, p. 159.
3. Lavery, Ships of the Line Vol. 1, p. 160.
4. Foedera, 7 (The Hague, 1739), p. 189

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.