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HMS Warrior (1860) (Portsmouth)

United Kingdom / England / Portsmouth
 place with historical importance, frigate (ship), steamboat, interesting place, museum ship

HMS Warrior was the name ship of her Class of 40-gun steam-powered armoured frigates built for the Royal Navy, and was laid down at the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co at Blackwall, London in August of 1859. Commissioned into Royal Navy service in August of 1861, she and her sister HMS Black Prince were the first armour-plated, iron-hulled warships and were the first RN vessels to be armed with cannon capable of firing explosive shells in addition to solid shot.

Built primarily in response to France's launching in 1859 of the Gloire, the first ocean-going ironclad warship, both the Warrior and Black Prince became known as "The Black Snakes" by the French Navy, and saw extensive service with the Channel Squadron during their relatively brief active careers. Despite the technological advances in their design, the advancement in the development of steam powerplants meant that the Warrior Class' design as hybrid steam/sail powered ships were quickly rendered obsolete by the 1871 commissioning of the all-steam powered HMS Devastation.

Remaining in service through May of 1883, Warrior was laid up as a storage hulk and eventually moved to the shoreside HMS Vernon where she was used as a training and accommodation hulk through the 1920's. Removed from official Royal Navy service in October of 1923, the ship was used in a variety of roles and purposes including a pier, fuel storage hulk and finally a base ship for coastal minesweepers during the Second World War out of Llanion Cove Oil Depot. Remaining at Llanion Cove until the mid-1970's as an increasingly decrepit dock/storage hulk the ship was donated by the Royal Navy first to the Manifold Trust in 1979 who relocated the ship to the Coal Dock at Hartlepool where initial restoration efforts began.

Transferred to the Ship's Preservation Trust in 1983, the ship remained at Hartlepool until her current berth at Portsmouth became available and in June of 1987 she was towed 390 miles over four days to the Solent, where she entered Portsmouth Harbour under the escort of over 90 boats and ships and was welcomed by thousands of people lining the town walls and shore. She formally opened as a museum on 27 July 1987 and now is listed as part of the National Historic Fleet.

www.hmswarrior.org/
www.vrportsmouth.co.uk/portsmouth-virtual-tour/HMS-Warr...
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   50°47'53"N   1°6'33"W

Comments

  • My Name (guest)
    Correct name: HMS Warrior 1860
This article was last modified 9 years ago