English ship Foresight (1570) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 England |
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| Name | Foresight |
| Builder | Deptford Dockyard |
| Launched | 1570 |
| Fate | Broken up, 1604 |
| Notes | Captain Christopher Baker commanded the ship Foresight for the English Royal Fleet in the 1588 battle against the Spanish Armada. |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Class and type | 41-gun galleon |
| Tons burthen | 294 tons |
| Length | 78 ft (24 m)(keel) |
| Beam | 27 ft (8.2 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Complement | 160 |
| Armament | 28 guns of various weights of shot |
Foresight was a powerful galleon, a type of sailing warship, that belonged to the English navy during the time of the Tudor kings and queens. It was built by Mathew Baker at Deptford Dockyard and first sailed in 1570. This ship was very special because it had a new and improved design.
A New Kind of Warship
The Foresight was a big step forward in ship design. Before this, most galleons had very tall structures at the front (called a fore-castle) and back (called an after-castle). These tall parts made ships slower and harder to steer.
When John Hawkins became the person in charge of the navy's money and ships in 1577, he had lots of ideas. He had traveled all over the world and knew what made a good ship. He wanted ships that were faster and more agile.
The "Race-Built" Design
Hawkins helped create a new type of galleon called "race-built" ships. The Foresight was the very first of these. These ships were built without the high castles at the front and back. This made them lighter and able to move much more quickly.
People at the time called these new ships "marvels of marine design." They were so fast that they could "run circles around the clumsier Spanish competition." This new design gave England a big advantage at sea.
Fighting the Spanish Armada
The Foresight played a very important role in one of England's most famous battles. In 1588, a huge fleet of Spanish ships, known as the Spanish Armada, tried to invade England.
The fast and agile "race-built" ships, like the Foresight, were part of the English fleet that fought against the Armada. Their speed and ability to turn quickly helped the English navy defeat the much larger Spanish fleet. This was a huge victory for England.
End of Service
After many years of service, the Foresight was taken apart in 1604. It had been a key ship in the English navy and a symbol of new ideas in shipbuilding.
