English ship Antelope (1546)
The Antelope as depicted in the Anthony Roll
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| History | |
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 England
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| Name: | Antelope |
| Launched: | 1546 |
| Fate: | Burnt, 1649 |
| Notes: |
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| General characteristics as built | |
| Tons burthen: | 300 tons (304.8 tonnes) |
| Propulsion: | Sweeps, sails |
| Complement: | 200 officers and men |
| Armament: | 44 guns of various weights of shot |
| General characteristics after 1558 rebuild | |
| Class and type: | 38-gun Galleon |
| Tons burthen: | 341 tons (346.5 tonnes) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Complement: | 160 officers, men and soldiers |
| Armament: | 38 guns of various weights of shot |
| General characteristics after 1581 rebuild | |
| Class and type: | 38-gun Galleon |
| Tons burthen: | 350 tons (355.6 tonnes) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Complement: | 160 officers, men and soldiers |
| Armament: | 38 guns of various weights of shot |
| General characteristics after 1618 rebuild | |
| Class and type: | 34-gun Middling ship |
| Tons burthen: | 450 tons (457.2 tonnes) |
| Length: | 92 ft (28 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: | 34 guns of various weights of shot |
The Antelope was a ship of the English Tudor navy, launched in 1546. She was rebuilt three times, in 1558, 1581 and 1618. She thus served in various forms from the time of King Henry VIII to the English Civil War. She is mostly remembered for being a part of the fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada.
According to the royal inventory of 1547, the Antelope had a crew of 170 with 30 gunners. Her armaments included; a brass demi-cannon; 3 brass culverins; 4 iron demi-culverins; 3 sakers; 4 port pieces; 2 slings; 2 demi-slings; 2 quarter-slings; 11 iron single bases; 8 hagbuts and 4 hail-shot pieces. Handarms included 50 yew bows, 86 bills, and 72 Moorish pikes. The Antelope was described in a navy list of 5 January 1548 as a "galleass" of 300 tons built in 1546 with a crew of 200 and armed with 4 brass and 40 iron guns. As depicted in the Anthony Roll, she was a flush-decked vessel carrying a battery of guns on the lower deck. In action against Scotland, the Antelope was one of 12 ships dispersed by a storm off Flamborough Head on Wednesday 27 December 1559. Captain Southwick brought her back to join William Winter's fleet in the Firth of Forth.
She was rebuilt in 1558 as a galleon of 341 tons, acquiring a forecastle and a half-deck aft. In 1581 she was again rebuilt as a race-built galleon of 400 tons. A more detailed description is given in a navy list of 1603 where she is said to have measured 350 tons and had a crew of 160 (consisting of 114 sailors, 16 gunners and 30 soldiers). At this time, Antelope carried 26 heavy and 12 light guns.
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