HMS Burford was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, constructed at Deptford Dockyard according to the 1719 Establishment specifications. Launched on 19 July 1722, she was part of a group of four ships designed to replace earlier vessels, notably the first vessel bearing the name which was wrecked in 1719. Built under Master Shipwright Richard Stacey, she was slightly larger than the standard dimensions, being 4 inches broader in beam and 18 tons burthen more than the established norm. Her initial cost was approximately £13,464, including fitting out. She measured roughly 172 feet in length with a beam of about 45 feet, and was armed with 70 guns, serving as a formidable line-of-battle ship. Her early service saw her as the flagship of Vice Admiral Edward Hopson during the War with Spain (1727–1729). After a repair period in 1737–1738, she served in home waters before becoming a guard ship at Chatham. In 1739, she was fitted as the flagship for Vice Admiral Edward Vernon in the Caribbean during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Under Captain Thomas Watson, she participated in the capture of Puerto Bello in November 1739, a notable engagement that earned her a battle honour. She also saw action at Cartagena in 1740 and later participated in the attack on La Guayra in 1743. During this operation, her captain, Edward Lushington, was mortally wounded, and the ship suffered significant casualties. Throughout her service, HMS Burford was repaired twice, once in 1737–38 and again from 1741–42, reflecting her active operational role in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters. She was decommissioned after her final service in 1748 and was broken up in 1752, marking the end of her nearly three decades of service. Her history underscores her importance as a line-of-battle ship in the Royal Navy during the early 18th century, notably for her participation in key colonial engagements during wartime.

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