HMS Burford was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line constructed at Woolwich Dockyard between 1677 and 1679, launched in November 1679. Designed under the 1677 Establishment, she measured approximately 152 feet 4 inches on her gundeck, with a breadth of 40 feet 4 inches and a depth of hold of 17 feet 3 inches. Her keel length for tonnage calculation was 121 feet 6 inches, and her builder's measure tonnage was around 1,051 tons. The ship's initial armament consisted of 72 guns, including demi-cannons, 12-pounders, sakers, and smaller guns, and she was crewed by approximately 460 men. Her early service saw her commissioned in December 1679 under Captain John Perryman, though she spent much of the 1680s in Ordinary. She saw active duty during the Nine Years' War, notably participating in the Battle of Barfleur in 1692, earning the Battle Honour. In 1699, she underwent a significant rebuild at Deptford, extending her dimensions slightly but maintaining her 70-gun configuration, with her tonnage rising to approximately 1,113 tons. Recommissioned in 1700, HMS Burford served as a guard ship at Sheerness and later participated in the War of Spanish Succession, notably at the capture of Gibraltar in 1704 and the Battle of Málaga the same year. She operated primarily in the Mediterranean, engaging in various campaigns and blockades, with notable service in the West Indies and the Baltic. Her notable battles include the Battle of Velez-Malaga and the Battle off Cape Passaro in 1718. Her service concluded when she was wrecked in a storm off the Italian coast at Pentemelia Bay on 14 February 1719, although her crew was saved. Throughout her career, HMS Burford earned battle honours for Barfleur, Gibraltar, Velez-Malaga, and Passaro, marking her as a significant vessel in late 17th and early 18th-century British naval history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.