Investigating the Stirling Castle

The Stirling Castle was one of 30 great ships of the line built as part of Samuel Pepys shipbuilding programme of 1677. The initial design of the new ships agreed by Parliament was found lacking so the King, Charles II, proclaimed that he would personally pay for the needed alterations to the size of each vessel from his own purse. To simplify maintenance the King insisted the masts, spars, rigging and fittings of each rate be standardised, whilst Pepys ensured the ordnance was also standardised. This marked the first steps in the control of naval architecture by the naval administration. The size of the building programme strained the resources of the Royal Dockyards and meant that the new ships were ordered in two instalments. The Stirling Castle was a third rate laid down as part of the first instalment of ships in 1677. The Stirling Castle became a total wreck and was lost with four fifths of its crew in the early hours of 27th November 1703 on the Goodwin Sands. It remained hidden until dived upon by the local Ramsgate Dive Club in 1979.

HWTMA are currently undertaking an audit and appraisal of the Stirling Castle archive to enable future assessment, analysis and dissemination work. As part of this project a database is being created of all the known archaeological and historical records, survey data and records pertaining to the ship.

For more information please contact Mark James.