HMS Warrior 1860

Heritage, Portsea

HMS Warrior was the Royal Navy's first iron-hulled, armoured warship, launched in 1860. She was so revolutionary that she made every other warship in the world obsolete overnight. At 127 metres long, capable of over 14 knots and protected by wrought-iron armour, Warrior was the most powerful warship of her day. She never fired a shot in anger because no adversary dared challenge her. After a relatively short front-line career she was reduced to reserve duties and eventually served as a fuel hulk. A complete restoration in the 1980s returned her to her original appearance, and she has been moored at the Historic Dockyard since 1987. Visitors can explore the full length of the ship, from the officers' quarters to the engine room, and gain a sense of life aboard a Victorian warship at the dawn of the ironclad age.