Britannia
Wood Location
Dartmouth, DEVON
Ship Information
Ship Commander - Capt Charles Bullen
Guns - 100
Constructed at - Portsmouth
Crew - 850
Killed in the battle - 10
Injured in the battle - 42
Wood Information
Size - 16 acres
Owner - MoD, Britannia Royal Naval College
To be planted - November 2005 to March 2006
The site is within the grounds of Britannia Royal Naval College, the training base for naval officers. Much of the area being planted is part of an unused golf course, the greens of which are to be included as woodland glades, interconnected by mown paths. The planting plan is for adjoining groves of woodland species with connections to the Trafalgar ships or the College. The main plantings are of English oak and beech, supported by birch, ash, lime, hornbean, Scots pine and, possibly surprisingly, Coast redwood. This last species is needed to replace ageing Monterey cypress screening high ground and has been selected because it was the wood used for the massive main beams in the College.
The opportunity has been taken to identify trees each side of an avenue planned through the oak wood with the 33 ships in the British fleet at Trafalgar. These are positioned according to the best current estimates of the disposition of the British vessels at noon as Royal Sovereign reached the enemy line and the battle commenced.
Also part of Britannia Wood are two walled gardens, converted to orchards planted with fruit trees gifted by the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers.
Two Royal visitors have planted trees to begin the project, Prince Andrew planted an apple tree in the walled orchards and Prince Michael of Kent an ash in the main wood.
Since the Britannia Royal Naval College is an active military area, free access on demand by the public is regrettably not possible. However, access is permitted on planned open days and may be possible by special arrangement at other times.
A site at the entrance of Britannia Royal Naval College, training base for naval officers. The site will be a mixture of orchard and woodland.
More information
William Carnegie, EARL OF NORTHESK (1756-1831)
The son of George, sixth Earl of Northesk, by his marriage with the Lady Anne Leslie, daughter of Alexander, fifth Earl of Leven and Melville; and was born in 1756. Entering the service in 1771, he was promoted Lieutenant in 1777. On the recommencement of war in 1803 he was appointed to the Britannia with the fleet under Admiral Cornwallis off Brest, and continued in her, on the same station, after his promotion to flag rank on the 23rd April in the following year. For his service he was created a KB received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, the gold medal. He was in her at the blockade of Brest in 1804-5, and was detached under Sir Robert Calder to reinforce the fleet off Cadiz. He was with Lord Nelson at Trafalgar, in which he commanded the third post with his flag in the Britannia. She was fourth ship in the weather line led by Lord Nelson, and was thus early in the action, continuing closely engaged till the end. Carnegie was awarded the thanks of the City of London, with the freedom of the city and a sword of honour, and a vase of the value of £300 from Lloyd's Patriotic Fund. Died in Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, London 1831 aged 75; and was buried on the 9th June in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral, near Nelson and Collingwood.
Charles Bullen
Charles Bullen was the son of John Bullen of Weymouth, by his marriage with the daughter of Charles Liddell. Born at Newcastle 1768 he entered service in 1779 as a Midshipman of the Loyalist at the reduction of Charlestown 1780. Captain 1802. Flag-Captain of Britannia under Lord Northesk at Trafalgar, 1805 gold Medal, thanks of Parliament, and testimonial from Lloyd's Patriotic Fund). Died 2nd July 1853, at Shirley, Hants aged 86. His portrait is in the Painted Hall, Greenwich.
Britannia
At Trafalgar HMS Britannia was the oldest ship in the British fleet, having been launched in 1762 at Portsmouth dockyard. She took part in the actions of the American War of Independence, and was one of Admiral Kempenfelt’s squadron which intercepted a French convoy en route to the West Indies in 1781, assisting in the capture of fifteen ships laden with military stores for garrisons in their colonies.
Britannia was stationed in the Mediterranean during 1794 in the French Revolutionary War and was the flagship of Vice Admiral Hotham off Toulon and in several skirmishes with the French fleet. At the battle of Cape St Vincent she was the flagship of Vice Admiral Charles Thompson, but was too distant to become closely involved. Despite her age, however, her size, strength and heavy armament made her an important asset in any fleet even if her sailing qualities did not match other ships.
Britannia was stationed in the column led by Nelson at Trafalgar, sailing slightly out of line abreast HMS Neptune when the battle commenced. She opened fire at long range on several ships of the French and Spanish fleets at 1 p.m., but it was 3 p.m. before she had sailed into a position where she could break through the enemy line. Britannia remained in the action until the end of the battle sustaining 52 casualties, 10 killed and 42 wounded, and was slightly damaged compared to other British ships. She was therefore able to escort prizes back to England from Gibraltar.
Britannia was laid up in 1813 and hulked as a prison ship at Plymouth, where she remained until broken up in 1826.
Many thanks to Alan Aberg at the Society for Nautical Research for providing us with information on the ships and their commanders.
