Dreadnought

Wood Location
Redburn Country Park, Holywood, CO DOWN, Northern Ireland

Ship Information
Ship Commander - Capt John Conn
Guns - 98
Constructed at - Portsmouth
Killed in the battle - 7
Injured in the battle - 26

Wood Information
Size - 10 acres
Owner - Environment and Heritage Service
To be planted - October 2005

The Trafalgar site at Redburn Country Park has been made possible thanks to Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) who are making the land available. EHS are doing the ground preparation work and will subsequently manage the newly created wood. The initiative has received encouragement from the Royal Navy and North Down Borough Council, and is also supported by the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland 2000-2004 through North Down Local Strategy Partnership.

This site is situated at Redburn’s highest point and allows superb views over the Lough and Belfast’s shipyards. The woodland was planted in 1996 and the young trees are already flourishing. The wood is predominantly broadleaf (oak, ash, beech, alder, hazel, birch) with some Scots pine and larch.

There is a gravel path, which takes you from the car park up a steep climb to the meadow in front of the wood. There are existing seats along the way, which would allow less able walkers to take breaks on the way up. From the meadow there is a network of mown paths that lead you through the proposed woodland.

There are several small open areas at the top of the wood, which we will be able to plant with approximately 1000 trees.

Events in Dreadnought Wood
A schools planting day took place on Friday 21 October 2005 for local schools to take part in.

A community planting day tookplace on Saturday 22nd October 2005.

More information

John Conn
Was a member of the Irish family of that name at Mount Ida, Waterford, was born in Ireland in 1764, and entered the service in 1778. Commanded the Dreadnought in the battle of Trafalgar 1805, when the Spanish San Juan struck to her. Received a gold medal, and a sword of honour from the Patriotic Fund. When in command of the Swiftsure, was drowned off the Bermudas, in 1810. He was a cousin, by marriage, to Lord Nelson, having married a daughter of the Rev. Isaac Nelson, Rector of Meldon and Vicar of Mitford.

HMS Dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought was built to the same design as the Neptune and Temeraire, which also served at Trafalgar. Although powerful ships they were slow sailors and could not be counted on in any action which involved a chase, but in battle their heavy armament and strength of build made them tough opponents. Dreadnought was built at Portsmouth dockyard and launched in 1801.

She served with the Channel Fleet at first, and until shortly before the Battle of Trafalgar was the flagship of Admiral Collingwood, who was regarded as bringing Dreadnought to a high state of efficiency. She was reputed to be able to fire three broadsides in 3 1/2 minutes. Collingwood transferred to the Royal Sovereign shortly before the battle, but Dreadnought remained in his division and was eighth in line between Achille and Polyphemus. It was 2 p.m. before she came into action with the French Indominatable (74 Guns) and the Spanish San Juan Nepomuceno (74 guns) which she forced to surrender in 35 minutes with her Captain dead and almost 300 casualties. Dreadnought then matched herself against a Spanish three decker, the Principe de Asturias (112 guns), and damaged her so badly that she set sail to escape with Admiral Gravina badly wounded and almost 150 other casualties. The Principe de Asturias was able to escape but the San Juan Nepomuceno was taken as a prize.

Dreadnought returned early to England as one of the less damaged ships, suffering only 7 killed and 26 wounded. She served out the remainder of the war and was not hulked until 1823, after which she was first a lazaretto at Pembroke, and after moving to Greenwich, part of the seaman’s hospital. Dreadnought was broken up on the Thames in 1857.

Many thanks to Alan Aberg at the Society for Nautical Research for providing us with information on the ships and their commanders.