Client – Historic England/Pascoe Archaeology
CGI/Content– Grant Cox (ArtasMedia/CloudTour)
Web Design – Stuart Graham (CyanSub/CloudTour)
The Invincible was one of the first 74-gun ships conceived by the French in the mid 18th Century. She was constructed on the banks of the River Cherante at Rochefort, France, under the supervision of the shipwright Morineau and launched on the 21st October 1744. Captured by the English Admiral Anson in 1747, she would go on to inspire ship design throughout the Navy.
Invincible, was longer and broader than British ships of a similar class, carrying her main armament on two decks as opposed to three. This gave her superior speed and manoeuvrability under sail. Also, her main gun-deck was six feet above the waterline compared to three or four feet on British ships. This meant her heaviest guns could remain in action even in high seas, whereas British ships would have to close ports.
Invincible would go onto influence and revolutionise British warship design and her lines would even become a template for the construction of two 74s the Valiant and the Triumph. Her significance can be measured by the fact over 50 years later at the battle of Trafalgar 50% of the ships on all sides were of the 74-gun type.
Created using our CloudTour system, the Invincible Tour features high-resolution imagery, motion tracked panoramas, animation and video. You can find the tour here.
