Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 1, 2026

Crocus-class brig-sloop

The Crocus-class brig-sloops were a class of sloop-of-war built for the Royal Navy, and were the only Royal Navy brig-sloops ever designed rated for 14 guns. The class was designed by the Surveyors of the Navy jointly, and approved on 28 March 1807. Unlike the vast majority of other British brig-sloops built for the Royal Navy in this wartime period, which were built by contractors, construction of the Crocus class was confined to the Admiralty's own dockyards. One vessel was ordered from each of the Royal Dockyards on 30 March 1807; four more were ordered during 1808 and a final unit in 1810. All the ships of the class survived the Napoleonic Wars and were broken up between 1815 and 1833.

Last revised
Aug 1, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
435 w
Citations
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Class overview
NameCrocus-class brig-sloop
Operators Royal Navy
In service1808 - 1825
Completed10
General characteristics
TypeBrig-sloop
Tons burthen251 41⁄94 bm
Length
  • 92 ft (28.0 m) (gundeck)
  • 72 ft 8 in (22.1 m) (keel)
Beam25 ft 6 in (7.8 m)
Depth of hold12 ft 8 in (3.9 m)
Sail planBrig rigged
Complement86
Armament

The Crocus-class brig-sloops were a class of sloop-of-war built for the Royal Navy, and were the only Royal Navy brig-sloops ever designed rated for 14 guns. The class was designed by the Surveyors of the Navy (Sir William Rule and Sir John Henslow) jointly, and approved on 28 March 1807. Unlike the vast majority of other British brig-sloops built for the Royal Navy in this wartime period, which were built by contractors, construction of the Crocus class was confined to the Admiralty's own dockyards. One vessel was ordered from each of the Royal Dockyards (except Sheerness) on 30 March 1807; four more were ordered during 1808 and a final unit in 1810. All the ships of the class survived the Napoleonic Wars and were broken up between 1815 and 1833.

Vessels

In the following table, the Crocus-class brig-sloops are listed in the order in which they were ordered.

Name Builder Ordered Laid down Launched Fate
Podargus Portsmouth Dockyard 30 March 1807 November 1807 26 May 1808 Sold for breaking 7 August 18331
Crocus Plymouth Dockyard 30 March 1807 November 1807 10 June 1808 Sold for breaking 31 August 18151
Merope Chatham Dockyard 30 March 1807 November 1807 25 June 1808 Sold for breaking 23 November 18151
Apelles Woolwich Dockyard 30 March 1807 February 1808 10 August 1808 Sold for breaking 15 February 18161
Portia Deptford Dockyard 30 March 1807 December 1809 30 August 1810 Sold for breaking 6 March 18171
Prospero Woolwich Dockyard 23 March 1808 August 1808 9 November 1809 Sold for breaking 30 May 18161
Muros Chatham Dockyard 3 May 1808 June 1808 23 October 1809 Sold for breaking 18 April 18221
Zephyr Portsmouth Dockyard 9 June 1808 October 1808 29 April 1809 Sold for breaking 29 January 18181
Banterer Woolwich Dockyard 19 September 1808 December 1809 2 June 1810 Sold for breaking 6 March 18171
Wolf Woolwich Dockyard 8 August 1810 August 1812 16 September 1814 Sold 27 January 1825.1 Worked as a whaler in the Pacific Ocean,
hit Wolf Rock and sank on 6 August 1837 off Lord Howe Island.2
Citations

Citations

References

References

  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.