HMS UNICORN
HMS Unicorn is the oldest British built warship still afloat. Her
keel was laid
in February 1822 at the Royal Dockyard in Chatham. She was
designed as a Leda
class frigate with a length of 150 feet to carry 46 guns. 18
pounder long guns on the
main gun deck and 9 pounder long guns and 36 pound
carronades on the upper deck.
Amongst her sister ships is HMS Trincomalee now
under restoration at Hartlepool.
Unicorn's design was improved by Sir Robert Seppings and she was
launched on 30th March 1824 with a number of
radical changes. The original flat
stern was replaced by a new and stronger
round stern and she was strengthened
internally with iron. The normal wooden
knees were replaced with iron knees and
diagonal iron riders were fitted in the
hold. All this made her a much stronger
ship than her sisters.
As there was no immediate need for frigates at this time she was
roofed over
before launching and immediately laid up in reserve. From 1857 to
1862 she was
used as a powder hulk at Woolwich then again laid up at Sheerness.
In November 1873 she was towed to Dundee by HM Paddle Sloop
Salamander where she
replaced HMS Brilliant which went to Inverness. For the
next 33 years she was
the drill ship for the Royal Naval Reserve and underwent
some internal
modifications for this purpose. Signal masts were fitted around
this time, these
were lightweight and were not stepped on the keel.
In 1906 she
was taken over by the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and continued in
use as
their drill ship until taken over agin by the Royal Naval Reserve.
In 1941 her name was changed first to HMS Unicorn II then to HMS
Cressey to avoid confusion with the aircraft
carrier HMS Unicorn. After the
carrier was scrapped in 1959 her name was changed
back to Unicorn.
In 1961 the building of the Tay Road Bridge meant that the Earl
Grey Dock, where
she had been based since 1873, was due to be filled in. She
was originally due
to be scrapped but in 1962 was moved to her new berth. When
a new shore
headquarters was built for the RNR her future was again uncertain
with more talk
of her scrapping.
The Unicorn Preservation Society was formed in 1968 with the
aim
of preserving this unique and historically important ship. On 26th
September
1968 Prince Philip accepted the ship on behalf of the Society who
have looked
after her since this date.
Since taking over the society have made some alterations. The
signal masts have
been removed returning her to her original profile. A portion
of the roof at the
bows was removed uncovering the head rails. These were
restored including the
crews heads, there were four of these for the crew. A
figurehead was carved and
fitted, this has now been replaced by a glassfibre
moulding which is much more
weatherproof. A new bowsprit has been fitted and
she is beginning to look more
like a sailing craft and less like a barge.
Officer's and warrant officer's cabins
have been fitted and replica guns now
outfit the gun deck. The Captain's cabin
has been outfitted with contemporary
furniture showing the comparative luxury of
his living conditions.
Start virtual tour of HMS Unicorn
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