HMS Winchester was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line

Ship of the line

A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, built by Richard Wells at Greenland North Dockyard, Rotherhithe

Rotherhithe

Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...

 and launched on 17 March 1698.

She was rebuilt to the 1706 Establishment

1706 Establishment

The 1706 Establishment was the first formal establishment of dimensions for ships built for the Royal Navy. Two previous sets of dimensions had been established, though only for particular shipbuilding programmes; the 1706 Establishment was intended to be permanent.-Origins:Dimensions for ships had...

 at Plymouth Dockyard, and was relaunched on 10 October 1717. Winchester was hulked in 1744, and served in this role until 1781, when she was broken up.