Expansion of the English Royal Navy

Timeline

1. 1512–1547England · EnglandHenry VIII transformed the royal warships from temporarily requisitioned merchant vessels into a standing fleet, establishing the Navy Board in 1546; by 1547 the fleet numbered about 53 ships with a total tonnage of roughly 11,000, laying the foundations of the Royal Navy's administrative and shipbuilding traditions.
2. 1548–1558England · EnglandBetween 1548 and 1558 the fleet shrank from 53 ships to about 26, with total tonnage falling from roughly 11,000 to just over 7,000; the navy degenerated into a coastal defense system, and administrative and shipbuilding investment contracted markedly.
3. 1571–1580London and English ports · LondonIn 1571 Parliament passed legislation on naval maintenance; Elizabeth maintained a steady shipbuilding budget, with strategy emphasizing increased individual ship tonnage and firepower rather than simply adding more ships. Around 1575 the royal fleet numbered about 24 ships, but total tonnage had recovered to near Henry VIII's levels.
4. 1573–1588Deptford Royal Dockyard · DeptfordIn 1573 English shipwrights demonstrated a new race-built galleon design on ships such as the Dreadnought, improving speed and maneuverability and allowing heavier guns to be carried; in 1578 the first dry dock with gates was completed at Deptford, supporting overseas operations in the 1580s and the 1588 confrontation with the Spanish Armada.